Stalker

Lily smirked at the flustered face of James Potter as a Fourth year girl from their house thrust chocolates at him with a 'Merry Christmas'.

'Thanks, Penny, really, you didn't have to.' James reluctantly took the box from her.

'Oh, but I wanted to.' Penny fluttered her giant eyelashes, 'Want you to know I'm available, love you Jamesie.' She flirtingly winked at him before flouncing over to her giggling friends.

The seventh year dropped the box unceremoniously onto the table before doing the same with his head. For the past few months that girl had given him nothing but grief. She had forced herself into his life, but in doing so had unknowingly had a negative impact.

She always bombarded him at the portrait hole, before classes, before Quidditch practice and even before and after he had done his rounds as Head boy. He had tried to deal with it, ignoring her, pleading with her, even threatening her with detention when she'd make him late.

His friends were amused by it, but didn't think much of it. Many a girl had followed him around before, why was this one any different?

Lily Evans was the one who was holding his head above the water. She helped organize him from day one of his Head duties.

Penelope Fuller was one of those things dragging him down, an unwanted weight. He already had so many issues to tackle with, this was just one too many.

Lifting his head wearily, James gathered all his papers off the table and stuffed them in his already packed bag. Frowning at a notice in his hand, he ambled from the Great Hall, leaving the chocolates behind, untouched.

Lily watched him go, pity seeping in. She knew what that felt like, the constant nagging, although when James had done it to her, he at least had some sort of courtesy to not try magic or trickery, and Merlin forbid, love potions against her.

She debated following, she knew where he was headed. And yet decided not to follow, he needed to have his own space for a bit.

It wasn't until much later in the afternoon that Lily headed up to the common room with her friends, giving out warnings on the way that it was close to curfew and uncharming the mistletoe that a few students, mainly first years, but also two very uncomfortable boys who had refused to kiss despite encouragement from a gathering crowd who Lily had to disperse.

Head duties never end. Speaking of Heads, James Potter's was once again resting on a table in the common room when the crowd Lily had gathered entered. He didn't even look up.

Hesitatingly, Lily made her way over to him and paused by the table, unsure of how to make him less… dead.

James, however, had the feeling of being watched and lifted his head to regard her. 'Can I help you?'

'It speaks!'

James gave her a disgruntled glare and placed his head back on the table. 'Wake me when you're ready to go and do rounds.'

Lily wanted to question his table sleeping habits and ability, particularly since he was located in the middle of the noisiest common room in the school with his head on the hardest table. But she left him alone, hurrying upstairs to prepare for the second worst patrolling night of the year.

The first worst patrolling night you wonder? That would be Valentine's Day. However, Lily wasn't going to worry about that until the actual night, she had Christmas Eve to worry about. She recited the reverse enchantments that would help stranded students escape from enchanted mistletoe.

However there was one mistletoe spell that existed although only in a restricted book, she was quite worried about – the book she had read had mentioned that a shield charm could also be placed on the mistletoe, meaning the only way to become unstuck would be the traditional way of kissing.

Glossing up her lips, Lily hoped this would not be the case – however she would be prepared. It's not like she hadn't kissed anyone before.

Picking up her copy of 'Unpleasant Spells and how to reverse them – A must have for dealing with amateurs, great for teachers.' She turned to check her clock by her bed and froze in surprise as something caught her eye.

Perched neatly on her pillow, a frog shaped cushion with a pair of green frog printed pyjamas and a book bag with white lilies on them with 'Lily' embroided in the bottom corner, all tied together with a single green ribbon.

There was a card, a small hand-made thing in the shape of a stag with 'Merry Christmas, Love Prongs' scrawled in writing that Lily knew so well. She grinned. 'Oh, James.'

Lily descended the stairs, a definite skip to her step. Her book safely nestled in her new bag slung over her shoulder; she entered into the common room, and glanced up to see Penelope Fuller casting a spell onto a sprig of mistletoe. That James was currently asleep under.

Lily gasped with horror as she heard the spell spring from Penny's lips as the younger girl read from the book she held as identified as the very restricted book she had been thinking about only moments earlier.

'Penelope Fuller!' Lily's voice was high and indignant. 'Just what do you think you're doing?'

Penny froze as James jumped from his slumber and whirled around.

'Whazgonon?'

'May I ask, Miss Fuller, who was it that gave you permission to have possession of that restricted book?' Lily's voice was icy in the now silent comment room as every pair of eyes was watching.

Penny winced under Lily's intense stare. 'Uh-uh...'

'I'm confiscating that.' Lily took the book, rather roughly. 'And you can go up to your room before I give you a detention.'

'B-but the mis…'

'I'll take care of it, Fuller.' Lily said, icily.

Penny stared at Lily, jealousy filling her features.

'Thursday night with Filch?' Lily pulled out her detentions list.

Penny paled, that night was Quidditch training night – she couldn't miss out on that. 'I'm going, but I hate you.' She twirled on the spot and stormed up the stairs.

Slowly the common room filled with chatter again, and Lily turned to a tired and confused looking James.

'What happened?'

'You've been the victim of her plotting, James.' Lily said, stowing away her book in bag.

'Since when has it been any other way?' James eyes followed her hand to the bag. 'Oh, you're using it – good.'

'What? Oh, the bag – yes, very me. Thank you.' Lily smiled at James.

He visibly brightened. 'You ready for rounds then?'

'Just one thing.' Lily came around the couch to stand beside him.

'What?'

'You're standing under mistletoe.'

James jumped and looked up, his eyes narrowing. 'That wasn't there when I sat down.'

'I said you've been the victim…'

'So that's what Penny was doing?'

'Yes.'

'Well can you set me free?' James indicated at her wand and did the counter curse movement with his finger.

'Sure.' Lily said, setting her bag down. 'By the way, I forgot to get you a Christmas present, so consider this as exchange for your lovely gifts.' Staring up at him, feeling slightly nervous she took him by his loose tie around his neck.

'Lily, I don't care – what are you…?'

'Setting you free.' With the use of his tie, Lily pulled his head down and raised herself on her tiptoes. Their lips met in the middle, quite firmly.

After a gasp went around the common room, followed by a loud wolf whistle from a Sirius Black who was nearby.

Lily felt James hands at her shoulders and he gently eased her off, their lips making a rather juicy 'pop' as they disconnected.

They stared at each other with wide eyes as the spell holding them there disappeared with a swish of white glitter that showered the couple and clung to their flushed cheeks.

'Rounds?' Lily breathlessly asked after a moment, after a rather loud giggle from Sirius broke through the revere.

'Sure.' James' said in what would be a casual voice had it not been so high pitched.

Lily caught the eyes of a stunned Penny standing on the stair case and although being cocky was something Lily disapproved of, she flashed a grin in Penny's direction before she allowed James to escort her out of the portrait hole to catcalls of everyone else in the room.