Severus pressed his hands against the glass of the Hogsmeade jeweler window as he stared at the abundance of treasures the store held. Rare stones and precious metals glimmered hungrily before his ebony eyes, but they would just have to wait there for someone else. He already had what he wanted, after all, and he just needed to perfect it for her.
He walked into the store, as patronizing as it was and as intimidated as he felt. His family couldn't ever afford anything in this place. He saw his friend Lucius Malfoy buying a beautiful tennis bracelet for his beloved Narcissa, and he ducked out of the Head Boy's sight. Malfoy passed over a sack full of gold Galleons without lightening the load in his pocket at all, and still browsed for a moment before leaving the store at long last.
Severus came out from the nook he had found and approached the sales lady at the counter. "Excuse me."
The plump lady smiled down at him. She wore deep magenta robes and a great deal of jewelry and addressed him in a motherly tone, "How may I help you, Sweetheart?"
"I need to get this locket engraved," Severus took a bundle of white cloth from his pocket and unraveled it to reveal a silver heart-shaped locket. "It's for my friend."
The lady smiled and took out a piece of parchment and a quill to take down his message.
Christmas dawned bright and early at the Evans' residence. Lily could hear her mother and father in the kitchen as they cooked their traditional Christmas morning meal of cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate. She breathed in the aroma as she hopped out of bed, put on her slippers, and pulled on her house coat. She nearly collided with her groggy sister as she ran out into the hallway and then down the stairs to the large bounty of presents beneath the tree.
Petunia and Lily sat down by the Christmas tree and started sorting the presents into their separate piles. Petunia scowled and called into the kitchen, "Why did Lily get more presents?"
"Her friends from school sent some to her, Tuney," their mother called from the kitchen. "We bought you both the same number of presents."
"It's still not fair. I should get more presents. I'm older anyway," she crossed her arms and glowered at her younger sister who shrugged.
"Stop acting that way, Petunia," Mrs. Evans came into the living room with a small brown parcel. "An owl just came for you, Lily."
"Who's it from?" Lily asked as her mother passed her the package. She recognized the handwriting on the package immediately, however. "It's from Severus, Mum. Can I please open it now?"
"I suppose so," her mother replied and Petunia started complaining again. "And you may open one too."
Lily tore off the paper and uncovered a black box. She pulled off the top of the box and pulled out a beautiful silver locket.
The charm was heart-shaped and had an ornate lily carved into the front. She turned it over and there, engraved on the back, was the message Severus had put there just for her.
Lily + Severus
Best friends forever
Lily smiled as she opened the charm's clasp and saw a small picture of the two of them at last year's Hufflepuff vs. Ravenclaw game. She pulled her deep auburn hair aside and fastened the chain around her fair throat—the best Christmas present she could have ever asked for.