December 1: 1977
24 days until Christmas…
Lily sighed and slumped onto the floor. Ten more minutes. She might as well be comfortable. But sitting on the floor attracted more attention, which she definitely didn't need. Lily Evans, the crazy-redhead-who-won't-go-out-with-James-Potter-as-hot-as-he-is-and-spends-her-time-sitting-on-freezing-cold-stone-floors.
It had a nice ring to it. Not.
And being humiliated and then mercilessly reminded of this for her last year at Hogwarts?
Of course, if she wasn't so proud, she wouldn't be in this situation anyway…
"And if you're wrong?" Alice asked.
"I'm not," Lily replied confidently.
"Well, if you're so sure about it," Alice said, starting to smile. "You have to stand under the mistletoe in the entry hall for an hour when -not if- you lose." Lily opened her mouth to protest but Alice held up a hand. "I'm not done. I get to glue your feet to the floor with a sticking charm to make sure you stay."
"No way," Lily refused. "Best mates don't do that to each other."
"Is someone scared they're wrong?" Alice teased.
"Of course not! But if you lose, I get to do the same thing to you," Lily bargained.
"It's a deal."
She lost the bet. Stupid Gryffindor team letting Ravenclaw steal the snitch.
She stood up to stretch her legs and lean against the wall.
"Evans?"
Lily's head turned towards the voice. "Potter?"
"If you don't mind me asking… what are you doing?"
"Wouldn't you like to know," she said.
They stood facing each other stubbornly.
"Fine. I lost a bet," Lily admitted. "Now go away."
"A bet?" Potter echoed. "What-" His eyes flickered upwards to the neat bouquet of mistletoe. "Oh."
She glanced at the clock again. Two more minutes, and Potter didn't seem like he was going anywhere.
More silence.
"I think my hour is over," Lily said out loud to no one in particular.
He stepped towards her. She inched away from him warily.
"Relax," he laughed. "I know the countercharm for this."
With a few flicks of his wrist, she felt her feet separate from the cobbled stone.
"Um, thanks. I'd better get back to my dorm now."
"I'll walk you back," Potter offered.
"Oh, no need to trouble yourself."
"Lily, we live in the same tower."
It was saying her first name that did it.
Since when did he not call her "Evans?" Come to think of it, he'd been nice all year, and not only to her. He wasn't shirking his Head Boy duties or hexing first years or, she realized with a start, asking her out every other day.
"Why didn't you do it?" she demanded, turning on him.
He looked confused and maybe even a bit scared. Yes, arrogant, conceited James Potter was scared. "What do you mean?"
"Kissed me. I was standing under the mistletoe. My feet were stuck to the floor. You could've done it."
He looked away. "I didn't want it to be like that. I didn't want to force you into kissing me if you didn't want to."
She digested this as he told the Fat Lady the password and helped her into the common room.
"Thanks for… you know," Lily hesitated. "And I think I owe you one now."
"What?"
Before she could change her mind, she grabbed his tie, pulled his face to hers, and kissed him.
Then she was gone, a flash of dark red hair sprinting up the staircase as James stood in shock.
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