A Merry Little Christmas To You
A (very long) one-shot
By Mrs. Prongs & Mrs. Padfoot
Author's Note by Mrs. Prongs: Well, Mrs. Padfoot said over the phone that it'd be just wrong if we didn't write a Christmas fic. So here it is. The way we did it was I wrote the first scene, (scenes are broken up by &&) and Mrs. Padfoot the second and so forth. This was so much fun to write and we hope you enjoy it. Oh, and I just would like to say that this plot line is 100% ours, so I would suggest not stealing it.
Author's Note by Mrs. Padfoot: As original as this story is, I've realized that it has some little things in common with LWY (blackmailing!Sirius, and a mandatory school activity by Dumbledore). THIS IS NOT INTENTIONAL. =D And before you read this, just remember that it's all about the subtlety, people.
P.S. Happy Holidays to everyone no matter what you celebrate.
&&
Sirius came, or rather ran, through the swinging portrait into the Gryffindor common room. James and he had stayed at Hogwarts for Christmas this year while their other friends, Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin, had gone home.
"PRONGSIE!" Sirius yelled through the still room.
"What?!" came James' distant voice from the 7th year boys' dormitory.
Sirius stormed up the stairs and pushed the oak door open.
"Dumbledore has had a MAGNIFICENT idea!" the raven-haired 17-year-old said, excitedly.
James dropped what he was doing as he heard a distinct stomping up the stone stairs. As he expected, a fiery red head flung the door open.
"You know, Lilikins," James said, "if everyone keeps flinging that door open that hard, it's going to fall off."
Lily ignored him and turned towards Sirius. "WHY?"
"Why what?" Sirius asked innocently.
She held up her Potions notes that had once been crisp and neat, but were looking rather crumpled and stained.
"I didn't do ANYTHING," Sirius said, holding his hands in front of him. "Tell her Prongsie."
James looked at the notes. "Hey, are those the ones she lent you so you wouldn't fail the exams?"
"PRONGSIE!"
"WHAT?"
Sirius gave up on his best friend. "It goes to show you aren't such the neat freak that you let on, Lils."
Lily looked livid. "You are such a...URGH. It's so terrible I can't find the words for it!"
The boy ignored this comment. "Did you hear about Dumbledore's magnificent idea?!" he asked Lily.
"No," she said, looking quite frightened. She knew all about Dumbledore's "magnificent" ideas and she didn't think they were magnificent.
At all.
Actually, they were pretty damned unmagnificent.
"Let me tell you! I was just about to tell James, too!"
"NO," she answered, backing out of the room.
"Wait-"
"NO! I don't want to hear the magnificent idea. I don't want to hear any ideas."
"But-"
"No."
"Lily-"
"NO."
"HESAIDEVERYONEISGOINGTODOSECRETSANTASINEVERYHOUSE," he said as quickly as possible so Lily couldn't cut him off once more.
"You're. Kidding.
&&
James Potter.
James. Potter. Lily didn't want to be the secret Santa of James. Potter. She didn't want to buy him a Christmas present. She didn't want to leave him secret notes. She didn't want anything to do with James. She just wanted to be left alone. Why couldn't she have a normal secret Santa? Like... well, she didn't know who qualified as normal, exactly, but someone had to.
Because, really, anyone was better than James.
"SO, Lilikins," said Sirius, putting his arm casually around her. "Who d'you have?"
Alright, well, not anyone. But almost.
"I'm not telling you," said Lily, stepping to where Sirius couldn't... touch her.
"Why not?" whined Sirius.
"I'm just not! We're not supposed to tell anyone."
"Ohh, I get it," said Sirius. "You have ME."
"No, I don't," said Lily.
"Yes you do," grinned Sirius. "You just don't want me to know that you have me."
"I don't have you!" said Lily, rolling her eyes.
"Yeah, whatever, Lilikins," said Sirius.
"It's true! I am NOT your secret Santa!"
"Then who is?" said Sirius.
"I'm not telling you!"
"Lily, I know you're trying to be all unobvious and such, but it's not working. Just give up. I know that you have me," said Sirius smugly.
"I don't. I have James."
The words were out of her mouth before she realized what she had said.
"You have Prongsie?" said Sirius excitedly.
"I have James," said Lily dully. "Who do you have?"
"Mm, sorry, can't tell you," said Sirius vaguely, "we aren't supposed to tell anyone, you know."
"I just told you, so now you have to tell me," said Lily.
"Says who?"
"It's courtesy!" groaned Lily. "It's what nice people do!"
"Well, sorry, but I can't tell you, Lils," said Sirius.
"Oh, so you have me," said Lily, trying out Sirius's trick.
"No, actually, I don't," said Sirius calmly.
"You just don't want to admit it," said Lily as Sirius walked away. He waved to her, but didn't say anything.
And as he walked out of the Great Hall, Lily wondered which was worse; the fact that she had just stooped to Sirius's level, or the fact that she had fallen for it and he hadn't.
&&
James had gotten Sirius. Simple enough. Just buy him a box of Filibusters or something and he'd be done.
"Prongs!"
And there he was now. Great.
"What?"
"Who do you have for Secret Santa?," Padfoot asked eagerly.
"Oh. You.," James said, dismissively.
Why couldn't he had gotten Lily? Why did he have to end up with Sirius? Why didn't things work out the way he would like them too? He wasn't a bad person. Sure, a few pranks here and there, but did he deserve this?
I mean, come on.
"Wow," said Sirius. "That was easy. I had to drag it out of Lily."
That got James' attention.
"Who did Lily get?," he asked, attentively.
"Y-," Sirius stopped. He could use this to his advantage. "I can't tell you Prongs, but she sure was excited about it," Sirius said knowingly.
"Was it me?," James asked hopefully.
"I said she was excited about it, Prongsie."
And there that advantage was.
"Ha. Ha. Ha. That was hilarious," James said, and headed towards the dormitories.
"I know."
"Sure you do.
&&
Dear James,
Hello. I am your secret Santa.
Sincerely,
Your Secret Santa
James blinked.
"Didja get a note?" said Sirius, looking over his shoulder.
"Does this qualify?" said James, holding the tiny scrap of paper so that Sirius could read it.
"Eh, well, it's better than mine," said Sirius, looking at it.
"It is not! Yours has a clue as who your secret santa! Yours is descriptive! Yours is well-written!"
"Well, see, your secret Santa knows how to be secretive. Mine is signed, 'Bye, James'. In fact, I'm not sure mine's even a secret Santa note. Are you sure this was the note you meant to send me this morning?"
James grabbed it from Sirius.
"What do you mean, you're not sure this is a secret Santa note? It says 'Dear Sirius, Merry Christmas!' How much more obvious do you want me to be?"
"Yeah, but then it goes on about the prank you want to play on Snivellus when he gets back from vacation! At least the note you got was related to the project!"
"Really, Sirius," said James, "I can't see how you can even compare the note I got to this magnificent masterpiece of writing that you received."
"Er, you two? You're blocking my mailbox," said Lily.
"Oh, sorry," said James and Sirius, parting a little so that Lily could reach the little box where a small note was sticking out. Lily grabbed the piece of paper, skimmed it, and rolled her eyes.
"Don't suppose you two know who my secret Santa is, do you?" asked Lily.
"Nope, sorry," said James and Sirius at the same time.
"If you find out, tell me. I have the sudden urge to hurt him," she muttered, ripping the offending note into pieces and throwing it on the floor.
"How do you know it's a him?" asked James.
"Let's just say, some things only a guy would be stupid enough to write," muttered Lily, stalking off.
Sirius stared at her, a terrified look on his face.
"What's with you?" James asked him.
Sirius didn't answer.
"Er... Sirius?"
"Have you ever noticed Lily's amazing ability to scare your pants off even when she's threatening someone who's not you?" said Sirius.
"Yeah," sighed James.
"I'm going to the dormitories," said Sirius quietly, starting to walk away.
"You do that," said James, glancing at the floor. As soon as Sirius was out of view, he kneeled down and grabbed the pieces of the note. Luckily, Lily had only torn it into four or so pieces, so it was easy to piece back together.
Dear Lily,
Roses are Red
Violets are Blue
I am hot
(Yes that's your clue!)
Love,
Your Secret Santa
James snorted and put the pieces in his pocked. That was priceless.
&&
Sirius trudged up the steps and threw the 7th year boy's dormitory door open.
Something cracked.
Sirius turned to see the top hinge of the door ripped off.
"Great," he muttered sulkily, and fell into his bed.
"Sirius Black!"
Sirius turned to see Lily standing in the door way.
He raised his head off of his pillow.
"Yes?"
"Ineedyourhelp," Lily stated quickly. She could not believe she was asking HIM for help. Him of all people. And oh, would he savour this victory.
Sirius raised up from his position and stood.
He crossed his arms. "Oh?"
"If I didn't I wouldn't have said it."
"DID LILY EVANS JUST SAY SHE NEEDED MY HELP?," he screamed, so no one in particular could hear.
"Don't get too worked up, Black. It's not a big deal," she said gruffly.
"So what do I owe this joyous occasion to?"
"You need to come with me. To help pick out James' gift."
Sirius brightened. "This is going to be fun, Lily!," he said, grabbing her arm and heading out the unhinged door.
"Hold on!," Lily protested at the bottom of the stairs. Releasing her arm from Sirius's grip. Gainging her composure, she spoke.
"We can't go, YET."
"And why not?," he asked disappointedly.
"Because, number one, I have to finish a Charms essay. And number two, I just don't want to. I was just giving you a head's up."
"But Liiiiily! We have to go now. It's the only Hogsmeade weekend until Christmas!"
"Urgh-"
"Or, I guess, we could just go next weekend. I mean, I have to pick out a gift, too, but I have some rather important business to attend to."
Lily raised her eyebrow. "Right."
&&
"Jamesey?" said Sirius as they lay in their near-empty dormitory.
"Yeah, Padfoot?"
"I'm having a problem," sighed Sirius.
"What's that?" said James, skimming through the Charms book on his bed.
"Well, see, I sent this girl – my secret Santa, y'know – a note, and it was nice and all, but I don't think she liked it."
"Heh. Don't worry. I mean, it can't be as bad as Lily's was," said James, grinning at the memory. Sirius twitched a little, but didn't say anything.
"Well, it's not so much that it was bad," said Sirius, trying a different approach, "I think she realizes that it doesn't mean anything. So I need your help."
"Why?"
"Well, I mean, what would you have written to Lily if she was your secret Santa?"
"What would I have written to Lily? Um, why do you care, Padfoot?"
"Because. That means something. You love Lily, don't you?"
"Well, yeah," said James. "But I mean, if I wrote a note to Lily and you passed it on to whoever the hell your secret Santa is, it wouldn't mean anything. It would just sound like it did."
"So?"
"So iwhat's the point of it meaning something if it doesn't really mean something?!?"
"So she'll like the note!" yelled Sirius.
"Right, Padfoot," said James.
"Really, Jamesey," said Sirius. "This is important."
"Whatever, Padfoot," said James, turning a page.
"Really, really, important," said Sirius.
"Great," said James.
"We're talking help me now or I won't help you with your Snivellus prank important," said Sirius.
"What?"
"You heard me."
"I feel blackmailed," said James, getting out a piece of parchment and a quill. "What did you want me to do?"
"Just write whatever you'd have written Lily if she was your secret Santa," said Sirius. "Then I'll recopy it for my secret Santa."
"Fine," sighed James, and with a roll of his eyes he began writing.
&&
Lily screeched.
She reread the Secret Santa note.
She screeched again.
Lily,
You're beautiful like the fire that burns in my heart for you.
I love you, and I know you love me, too.
Love, Your Secret Santa.
This was, oddly, the most infuriating thing she had ever read. She didn't know exactly why, but it was. And that was the end of that.
She would never mention this note. Ever.
And did this person have an odd obsession with fire?
She sat up and threw it in the bin.
Lily really didn't care who her secret Santa was. This whole fiasco was ridiculous and if she had anything to do with it, she wouldn't have participated. But noooooo, Dumbledore had to go and make it mandatory. Mandatory! How could he? Doesn't he know that she had more important things to do? Like...homework...and stuff. Honestly. Some people.
It had been exactly one week since they had drawn names and Lily had yet to go with Sirius to get the gift. She couldn't believe she had let it slip her mind until Christmas Eve.
Sirius walked through the portrait hole. "Let's go."
"Fine. Coming," she said, and followed him back out. They were on a mission. Not an ordinary mission. No. This mission was important. They had to go through the tunnel to Hogsmeade, get the gift, and get out in less than an hour.
"So," she began. "This is the plan."
Sirius's attention turned toward her.
"We go through the tunnel AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, go to the gift shop, you pick out something for James, then something for your secret Santa, then we get out of there. This shouldn't take more than 45 minutes."
Sirius looked at her.
"AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO HONEYDUKES." She thought for a moment. " Or Zonko's."
Sirius was just CRUSHED. How could she? Evil was she. Pure evil.
&&
Oh, hell, thought James as he glanced at the calendar. Christmas Eve. And he had yet to get Sirius a present.
Well, there was, of course, the generic bag of chocolate frogs that he always gave his friends for Christmas, but he had completely spaced getting Sirius a gift so that he could reveal his secret Santa identity.
Which seemed pointless to James, of course, because Sirius already knew that James was his secret Santa. In fact, he had known that almost since James had. But the activity had strict guidelines, and so, James had to get a secret Santa gift.
Ohhhkay. It wouldn't be too hard. A random joke from Zonko's, and James was set to go. And with that thought, he climbed up the stairs to his dormitory and, wondering vaguely where Sirius was but not particularly caring, grabbed his cloak and headed back down, through the common room, and through the portrait hole. Then walk, turn, walk, turn, walk until he reached the statue, entered the passageway, and headed off to Honeyduke's. He was at the point where it barely required thought at all.
But, as he walked past the bookstore, he noticed that the new edition of Quidditch Through the Ages was out, and, naturally, he just had to go and see. Sirius wouldn't want it, of course, (because as obsessed as he sometimes seemed, Sirius was certainly above reading about Quidditch), but James couldn't resist taking a peek himself.
&&
It had so been over an hour.
And yes, Lily was upset.
And what was Sirius doing? He was in the bloody bookstore.
And, unfortunantly, she was there, too.
Odd, right? I mean, Sirius. Reading. For enjoyment. It's simply absurd. But this was no ordinary book. Noooo, it was the damned "new edition of Quidditch Through the Ages".
Stupid book.
"I think you should get this for Jamesey for Christmas," Sirius concluded, has he shut the book.
"I am NOT spending 5 galleons on HIM. He's not worth it."
"Well, fine. PRONGS!," Sirius said, as he noticed his best friend.
Lily turned and saw the devil right in front of her.
"Oh, goddamn."
"I thought you would be happy to see me," James said to Lily.
"Ecstatic."
"Anyway," Sirius interrupted. "Whatcha doin' in Hogsmeade?"
"I could ask you the same question, but buying a present for my secret Santa."
Sirius's eyes brightened. "What did you get me!?," he said excitedly, looking for bags in James's hands. Sadly, he didn't find anything.
"Nothing yet."
Padfoot's face fell. "Well, if I'm not important to you," he said, and walked out in a huff.
"Riiiight," James said, and followed him. Perfect opportunity to just let Sirius pick out his own gift.
Lily, against her own will, followed them. I mean, would you want to be alone in forbidden territory?
&&
Once in Honeyduke's, James headed straight for the "Unusual Candies" section. The truth was, he didn't really want to know why Sirius and Lily were here together. (That, and he wanted to see where Sirius drew the line as far as food when he was in his dog form. Since sometimes he wondered if Sirius had the intelligence to tell the difference between blood-flavored and cherry-flavored lollipops in his human form, so there was no telling how far he'd go with the brain of a dog. That, and it would be a fun experiment.)
Yet, even as he grabbed a sample of every remotely disgusting candy (there were advantages to being part of a rich, pureblood family), he still couldn't get Lily and Sirius out of his mind. Lily and Sirius. James had always taken a bit of comfort in the fact that Lily hated Sirius more than she hated him. And now she was going shopping with him? There was no good explanation. It was simply an outrage. How could she be so infuriating and so perfect at the same time?" (As he thought about this, he ground some of the dirt-flavored fudge he had in his hands. Screwing up his nose at the smell, he sighed and grabbed another piece.)
"Are you okay?"
James whirled at the voice to see a chestnut-haired girl of minimal height looking at him while her brunette friend looked on from a distance with a slightly amused look on her face.
"Uh, yeah, fine," said James.
"If you don't mind me saying so, you don't really look it," said the girl. "Stephanie Glenn. Slytherin. I suppose you think it's weird that I'm talking to you, but I always have had some Gryffindor in me. That's Alexandra. She's Ravenclaw."
"Hello," said James. "I'm James Potter."
"Yeah, I know," said Stephanie. "But seriously, what's wrong? Did you eat that stuff?"
"I'm not that stupid," said James. But honestly, did she expect him to pour out his heart? He had only just met her, for heaven's sake.
"Good," said Stephanie in a whisper, "That way you won't have Alex after you. As intelligent as she usually is, she always goes for the stupid guys. Every bloody time."
"Don't let her meet Sirius, then," said James, grinning.
"I'll add him to the list," said Stephanie. "Isn't he the one in here with the redhead?"
"With? He isn't with the redhead. It's not like they're dating or anything," said James defensively.
"Are you sure?" asked Stephanie quizzically.
"YES. Yes I'm sure," said James. "He's my best friend. He'd tell me if he was dating Lily!"
"Well, if you're sure," said Stephanie, "but, I mean, their body language suggested that they were dating!"
"What are you talking about? How can you tell? It's not like you're Cassandra Trelawney or anything!" yelped James, referring to the famous seer they had studied recently in Divination. (Why he had ever taken that class was beyond him. If he ever had any children, he would make sure they were forewarned enough not to take that stupid class.)
"Well, no, but I have feminine intuition," said Stephanie.
"Well I have masculine intuition!" said James.
"It's not the same. At all," said Stephanie. "But whatever."
"Is your friend mute?" asked James, trying to change the subject.
"No, but she likes to pretend she is," sighed Stephanie.
"I do not!" said Alexandra.
"God, Alex, you fall for that one every time," said Stephanie, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, we have to go. We're not supposed to be here anyway."
"Bye," said James. "Nice meeting you."
And with that said, she walked over to where her friend was staring down one of the aisles, and the girls turned to leave.
"What are you staring at, anyway?" asked Stephanie as they exited, looking down the aisle Alexandra had been looking down. "Oh, no. No, no, no."
"What? He's hot!"
"No, he's not. And you don't think he is either. The end," said Stephanie, dragging Alexandra out of the store.
James sighed, and wished for feminine intuition. Did that... Slytherin really think Sirius and Lily were dating? Because that was just wrong. Very, very wrong.
They couldn't be.
Really.
Because that was just wrong.
Seriously. Lily and Sirius? Sirius was like him, only three billion times worse. Well, not really like him, but he was still three billion times worse.
And Lily hated him. So why didn't she hate Sirius? Why did she like Sirius enough to go out with him?
No, wait, she wasn't going out with him.
Of course.
James sighed, and placing the collection of disgusting candy on the counter, paid for it quickly.
He just wasn't in the mood.
&&
"Jingle bells, Jingle bells, Jingle all the way!," Sirius sang, cheerfully.
"Is that necessary?," Lily asked annoyed.
"Yes," Sirius said simply. "You're just ruining the holiday cheer. You should be happy it's Christmas."
"I would be if I weren't here. But, nooooo, I had to participate in a stupid Secret Santa activity. So here I am. Wasting my valuable time on buying a Christmas present for James."
"But you're with meee!" Sirius smiled.
Lily glared at him. "Which makes it THAT. MUCH. WORSE," she said, and put down the glass figurine she had been looking at. She stalked across the room and began looking at the pistachio tins.
Sirius followed her. "Lilikins," he whined.
"Go away," she stated, and went to the other side of the shelf. She wasn't really interested in the tins, but anything was better than Sirius.
Sirius frowned. "But I thought I was supposed to help you pick out a gift for James."
"I don't need your help," she said. She pointed across the shop to James. "Go play with your friend."
"Fine. I will. But I know you'll miss me," he said, waving a finger at her, then walking towards James.
"No I woooon't," she whispered to herself and rolled her eyes.
Lily snatched up a light blue tin with a gold star on the lid. "This will do," she said, and walked up to the counter. She paid for the nuts, and walked out.
Halfway down the street, Lily started to feel bad.
Who would want a tin of pistachios for Christmas?
She certainly wouldn't.
But this was James. James Potter. The boy who had terrorized her since first year. Why would she care what he thought? I mean, she had to buy it. She doubted he was expecting anything special.
She continued to walk, but right in front of the bookstore, her kindness got the best of her, and she walked in.
Crossing over to the "new editions of Quidditch Through the Ages", she grabbed one, and went up to the counter and paid. And, to her own surprise, she had it gift-wrapped.
Fine. She had done her good deed for the day.
She swore to herself for being nice to James, and walked out.
&&
"JAMESEY!"
Oh, god, no.
At this ungodly hour?
"IT'S CHRISTMAS, JAMESEY!"
James mumbled something that even he couldn't understand and rolled over in bed.
But, unfortunately, Sirius was not falling for that again.
"UP, UP, UP!" said Sirius, yanking James's blanket so that James plopped unceremoniously down onto the floor beside his bed.
"Ow. God, Sirius," said James, rubbing his head, and wondering why the hell Sirius was his best friend. Because, looking back at all the little things, James was surprised he had put up with Sirius this long.
... but despite the fact that it was Christmas, James was not going to go all sentimental and think something like "because deep down, I really do love Sirius." No way. That was just... no.
Sirius hadn't seemed to notice anything amiss. He was currently in the process of dancing around the dormitory in the new Christmas-y scarf Peter had given him to replace the old one he had nibbled all the way through. (James knew that Peter subconsciously just wanted more scarves to chew. Rats. They were all alike.)
"What are you singing?" said James from the floor.
"Last Christmas," said Sirius quickly, "Laaaast Christmas, I gave you my heaaaaaart, but the very next day – "
"Sirius."
"What, Jamesey?" said Sirius as he posed for the mirror, pausing his music right during the harrowed refrain.
"Please, for the love of all that's holy, stick to Jingle Bells," said James.
"I thought Jingle Bells annoyed you, Jamesey," said Sirius, who was now in the process of sliding and posing repeatedly.
"That was before I had heard the alternative. I love Jingle Bells, Sirius. Please sing it," sighed James.
"Fine, Jamesey," said Sirius, who was now back at his present pile and in the process of opening another.
James sighed and got up, glancing at all the presents in front of his bed. Grabbing the one that said, To Jamie, Love, Mum and Dad, he began the most important activity of the year: present opening.
&&
Great. It was time to "reveal our Secret Santas".
Everyone had gathered in the common room that morning and were awaiting their cue by the Head of House to go ahead and do the deed.
Realisation hit James like a freight train. He forgot all about the LilySirius situation. And boy, was he pissed. Again.
Where was Sirius? RIGHT. BESIDE. LILY. And it looked as if they were having a conversation! A civil one! Oh no, this would not do. At all.
James stomped over to the bastard himself.
"WHAT do you think you're doing?!"
Sirius looked up at him.
"Whaa?," he asked, clearly confused of the situation at hand.
"YOU. HER. TOGETHER.," James exclaimed, not being able to piece a sentence together.
Lily stood. "What in the hell are you talking about, Potter?!"
James pointed accusingly at her. "I saw you and him together. Having fun. FUN. And this girl said you were showing all the signs of a couple."
Sirius spoke. "SO WHAT IF WE'RE GOING OUT, JAMESEY?"
Lily's eyes widened. What was this lunatic saying?
James looked baffeled. He certainly didn't think they would admit to it.
"BECAUSE SHE'S MINE!"
Oops. James knew that what he said was a big mistake as soon as it slipped his lips.
"EXCUSE ME?!," Lily screeched. She knew she shouldn't have bought James that godforsaken gift.
"I do NOT belong to you and I do NOT like either of you," she said, throwing her hands up and stomping upstairs to get the tin of nuts.
Coming back down the steps, she headed straight for the scene of the crime. She shoved the tin into James's chest.
"HAPPY FREAKING CHRISTMAS!," she screamed as she ran upstairs, adding "Bastard!," right before she slammed the dormitory door.
&&
Sometimes James wished he could learn to keep his mouth shut when appropriate.
For example, today. Although he hadn't been exactly aware that she was his secret Santa, he had been in a good situation. She had been fairly civil to him the past few weeks. And for some reason, he had decided Lily and Sirius were having a secret relationship. Which wasn't so bad, but he had made it about seventy billion times worse by opening his mouth. Because they weren't having a secret relationship.
And so, here he was, at 8:43 pm, in the common room, staring at the open box of nuts. He didn't even like pistachios. And yet, he couldn't throw it away. Because Lily had given it to him. And Lily was, well, Lily.
And, thinking back on the whole day, now he just plain depressed. Happyfreaking Christmas, indeed.
He sighed and deshelled a pistachio, popping it into his mouth.
Eyuuh.
He spit it back out.
"So you don't like pistachios?" said Lily bitterly as she entered the common room.
"I love them," lied James quietly. Which was odd, because he never did anything quietly. Of course, he couldn't say that, because he had just said that quietly. But that was strange in itself, because – oh, forget it.
"Too bad," said Lily. "But I suppose it would be too much to hope that I'd given you a nut you hated."
"That's not really the spirit of Christmas, is it, Lily?" sighed James, still staring at the nuts.
A pause.
"No, it's not," she whispered.
James looked up to see her fiddling with the book in her lap.
He sighed.
"What are you reading?" he asked, when she didn't continue.
"Oh, it's a novel Sirius gave me for my secret Santa gift," said Lily. "He – he really can be sweet sometimes. We aren't going out, though."
"I know. I assumed too quickly. Sorry," said James.
"I guess there is a thoughtful side to him," said Lily.
"Eeesh, it must be some book," said James. "What's it called?"
"The Yearning Love," said Lily, holding it up.
James blinked.
"But – he said he was going to get his secret Santa candy," said James. "He asked me – he saw me in the bookstore – oh, that bastard!"
Lily stared at James quizzically.
"Are you okay, James?" she asked.
"No! No, I am not okay," said James. "That bastard is taking credit for all my hard work!"
"How?"
"He blackmailed me into writing notes to you, and then he tricked me into picking your present," said James.
"Wait – you?"
"Yes, ME!"
"I should've known his sensitive side was a fake," said Lily. "I guess I not only owe you an apology, but – er, thank you."
"You're welcome," said James, looking back down at the pistachios. Lily followed his gaze.
"Er – James?"
"Yeah?"
"I'll be right back," she said, and without giving him time to respond, she ran up the stairs to her dormitory, slammed the door. Within seconds, she had reappeared on the landing, bearing a present wrapped in pretty blue paper and tied with a big silver bow.
"What's that?" asked James as Lily finished coming down the stairs and plopped down next to him.
"Your real present," said Lily. "I bought it for you yesterday, but I – well, I was furious with you, so I decided not to give it to your after all. But now I guess I feel guilty, so."
She handed it to him.
He turned it over in his hands a couple times, getting a feel for the weight of it.
"James! Just open it," said Lily.
But he didn't tear it open like he usually did. Instead, he carefully untied the bow, and carefully took the paper off the present so that it was in almost perfect condition as he laid it on the couch next to him. He would preserve it for years and years to come.
The worst part was, he probably would.
"Quidditch Through the Ages, 34th edition! Oh, FINALLY. Everyone else assumed someone else had bought it for me! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Laughing, he wrapped her in a bear hug, and instead of resisting, she laughed too.
"We're such idiots," she said.
"I second that," grinned James. "Happy freaking Christmas, Lily."
"Oh, don't say that," said Lily.
"Why not?"
"It's so – so un-Christmasy," she sighed. "Say – say Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas?" said James, puzzled. "That's so – I don't know."
"Yes, but Happy Christmas is reminding me of – well you know," said Lily.
"Alright," laughed James. "A merry little Christmas to you, too Lily," he grinned.
"Merry Christmas," she said. "And James?"
"Yeah?"
"You can let go of me now."
"Oh, right. Sorry."
But even that couldn't dampen his suddenly soaring spirits.
Grinning, and yelling "Merry Christmas" loud enough to wake the whole school as he stomped up to his dormitory, he ended his Merry Little Christmas.
And as far as he was concerned, it was the merriest ever.
The End.