Disclaimer: do not own anything etc.

Author's note: My first one-shot, so sorry if it's horrible! I usually write longer, multi-chapter fics. And it is my first time with a James and Lily only story.

THE NECKLACE– A CHRISTMAS STORY (JAMES AND LILY STYLE)

"James Potter!" Lily yelled and everyone tried to bury their noses further into whatever they were doing to avoid the inevitable confrontation. After six and a half years of the fights between James and Lily, everyone knew what to expect from this explosion in the common room.

"Yes Lilikens?" James asked with a sincere smile.

"What on earth do you think you were doing? You're head boy! You should know better! Just when I thought you might perhaps be an actual human being, you go and pull a stunt like this!"

"You think I might be a human being?" he asked hopefully.

"Well that's an improvement," Sirius said who was sitting at the same table as him.

"Just tell me what you were possibly thinking," Lily demanded.

"Well see, Lilikens, it is Christmas, and we thought we would just need a bit more Christmas cheer," James started.

"So you thought that somehow dying everyone's hair either red or green would make everyone more festive?" Lily shouted.

"Dumbledore seems to like his green hair," Sirius pointed out.

"Black, don't push me, you already have a month of detentions with Filch," Lily pointed out. Sirius sighed as he remembered the punishment McGonagall gave him for a slight misunderstanding involving some seventh year slytherins, namely one Severus Snape.

"Ah, Lilikens, I didn't die your hair," James said with his best smile. "Why would I want to touch your already gorgeous red hair?"

Lily frowned, but inside she wanted to smile at the compliment. "I'm afraid this means the head boy has detentions too," Lily said.

"Just what I was about to say," McGonagall said stepping into the common room. She sent a stern look to all of the marauders.

"I don't think she appreciates the red tint to her hair," Lily whispered in James ear making him blush.

"It seems proper for the Head Girl to supervise the head boy's detention," Lily heard McGonagall say. "First day back from Winter Holidays," she ordered since everyone was getting ready to leave for the winter break. Sirius was complementing Minnie on how well she looked with her new style, which earned him a glare and another week of detentions with Filch.

Lily's jaw dropped. "Why am I being punished?" Lily groaned. She shot a glare at James and stormed up the stairs muttering about how idiotic one James Potter was.

"Way to go Prongsie," Sirius said. "You should write a book on how to woo women."

"Bestseller! I can see it now!" Remus joked from behind his book. He, once again, managed to avoid getting a detention.

Happily, Lily managed to avoid James on the train ride back as she, Alice, and their other friend Emily got a compartment to themselves. "You know, Lily, if you would just admit you like him, he would stop pulling these stupid pranks to get your attention," Emily said.

"Please! Why would I like James?" she said, but everyone heard it was only half-hearted. They all knew her feelings for Potter had changed. Even if she wouldn't admit it they all saw the subtle changes– such as how she now called him James instead of 'Potter' or 'that insufferable, idiotic, egotistical prat.'

"He was kind enough to not dye your hair," Alice pointed out and they saw her once blonde hair was now a forest green.

"I think it looks good on you," Emily teased. She had thoroughly enjoyed finding out she had emerald green hair when they all walked out of the Great Hall after breakfast.

Lily mumbled something, but everyone ignored her half-hearted attempt at berating James.

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Lily woke up on Christmas Morning a few days later. She actually missed the hustle and bustle of the Castle, and although she wouldn't admit it, she missed the excitement that James and the other marauders were always creating. Although every other year she passed it off as just wanting anyone's company other than Petunia's, she knew that it wasn't true. She was starting to fall for James' charms, and it made her mad as hell.

"Lily dear!" her mother called out. "Petunia and Vernon have arrived." Lily quickly dressed and rushed down the stairs and they unwrapped presents.

Lily was getting ready to go help her mother with Christmas dinner when she saw a package that wasn't there last night tucked away under the tree. She reached under and found it was addressed to her. Who is it from? She wondered since it didn't have a name. She unwrapped it and found a note.

Lily,

Happy Christmas. I saw this and thought of you. It is a rare beauty, like you– simple and elegant.

James

Lily rolled her eyes that he would write something like that, but was curious what he would have gotten her. It couldn't be any worse than the pair of socks he gave her in third year that were florescent orange, smelled like pumpkins, and sang weird Halloween anthems the marauders had written. She didn't even want to remember the gift in fifth year.

She opened up the box and couldn't help but smile. Inside was a gorgeous necklace with a single, white lily on the chain.

Maybe this detention won't be so bad after all, Lily thought with a smile as she placed the necklace on her neck. Just maybe it won't.

Author's Notes: Well, ta-da! My first J/L one-shot. I adored writing them in my other series. Actually, I think I might squeeze this in my story somewhere :-) Review pretty pretty please!