Lily Evans never considered herself much of a hopeless romantic. Sure, she enjoyed to occasional romance novel, like most girls. But she never felt those shivers, or sighed whenever the hero killed the heroine finally. She was just classic Lily Evans, enjoyed every book and novel once in a while.
When she'd been asked on her official first date, (the one with Amos Diggory didn't count, ) by Thomas Davies, she'd been thrilled! But then, he brought her to Madame Puddifoot's. Lily had had to glue a fake smile on her face, and restrain herself from throwing up in the too-sweet-it-made-you-cringe-tea. Thomas had talked her ear off, and even got up the guts to try and kiss her, but she'd found an escape, saying she was supposed to have been meeting her friends at the Three Broomsticks.
So it's not hard to see, that the Rock Hard Hearted Lily Evans could not be swayed by any kind of romance.
…Then Hogsmeade started their Christmas Tradition.
Walking into the Great Hall during Christmas time was probably one of the best sights in the world. Tinsel decorated all around the tall windows, along with garlands behind the teacher's table. Several trees were dotted around the walls, and flying cherubs were dropping peppermint candies and trying to capture couples under their little mistletoes. And of course, the humongous tree at the front of the hall, filled with ornaments and the big glittering gold star resting on top.
Christmas had to be one of my favorite times of the year, minus the cold. I loved the food, I loved the snow, and I loved how this time of the year seemed to make everyone smile. Even the Slytherins. Breathing in a deep smell of gingerbread and evergreen, I made my way over to the middle of Gryffindor's table, towards my friends, who were dressed up in their holiday attire as well.
"Lily!" Alice waved, slapping her hand on the open bench next to her. Her boyfriend, Frank, sat across from her. The breakfast was oatmeal, topped with red and green sprinkles, with a scone shaped like Santa Clause. This stuff just brought a smile to my face as I sat down. "Happy Christmas!" Alice shouted, her usual hyper, pixie self, and hugged me.
"Happy Christmas Al!" I laughed. Alice immediately went back to her previous conversation with Frank. Frank Longbottom definitely wins the Best Boyfriend Award. He just listened to Alice prattle on all bloody day. I glanced at Cissy and Rosie, who were chuckling at the two, and let a giggle slip myself.
"I'm glad we stayed at Hogwarts for Christmas." Alyssa sighed from beside me, admiring all the decorations as I had been just moments before.
"Me too Lyss."
"Did you hear that their letting us all go into Hogsmeade later today?" She sighed out, smiling slightly at a couple who had gotten stuck under one of the cherub's mistletoes.
I rolled my eyes, turning away from the sight. "No, I hadn't. But that's good, cause I still have to buy a present for Cissy. Any ideas of what she'd want?"
Alyssa reluctantly tore her eyes from the couple, now disgustingly sucking face, not even taking into mind that people are eating their breakfast, and trying not to barf their brains out! "Lily, stop glaring at Eva and Stephen. They're in love. And Cissy wants new gloves."
"Good. I can afford gloves."
"I already bought gloves for her."
"What? Then why did you-…never mind." I shook my head at my friend. I loved her to death, but she could be flighty at times.
The post owls started to swoop down, bringing parcels to all the students left at Hogwarts. Surprisingly, the number of students left was very high. Over half of us were still here over the holidays. It was getting too dangerous out there, even to travel on the Hogwarts Express. Just last week, there'd been a horrific train "accident." The muggle news had said the train tracks were just icy from all of this weather, with it being "a record low for London Christmas'". But everyone in our world knew who it was. You Know Who didn't even take a break over the holidays. I'd overheard Dumbledore talking to McGonagall later in the evening after the accident. He'd said it was You Know Who's way of saying "I'm still here, even during these happy holidays. I can still rip everything away from you in an instant."
I shivered, despite the warm oatmeal resting in my stomach. "You okay?" Alice poked my with her spoon. I smiled, reassuring her, even though my insides had grown cold, just thinking about him.
BANG! POP!
Heads shot up all over the hall, just in time to see streamers fall from the snowing ceiling, and fall on everything. Some small sounds of laughter began, but then the streamer kept coming, and started melting. I watched, stunned in silence, as the red, green, and white streamer tattooed itself to my skin. I heard a girl scream form somewhere.
POP!
I looked over towards the scream, from the Slytherin table, and saw Snape stand up. There was a big green bow around him, with a tag and all. A streamer had painted itself across his big arse nose. In spite of myself, being Head Girl and all, I couldn't stop the snort that escaped me, and the small giggle.
But before I could actually start laughing at all, there was a big, wet, leathery thing on my cheek. Screeching, I jumped about a foot in the air, and backed into Alice.
In front of me, was a reindeer. A real live reindeer. A glowing red nose, antler, saddle, bells, the works, standing right in front of me.
"Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!"
Oh no. No way.
I looked around, and spotted a small sleigh zooming around the Great Hall, weaving in between levitating candy canes, and students. Laughter filled the whole hall, except for a great many Slytherins, whose tags on their bow that I could now read, said "To: Moldy Voldy, From: Me."
I stood up, feeling my knees shake in anger. The reindeer tried to take a chomp out of my blouse, but I was already storming down the hall, towards four boys down the table, who were trying, but doing a very poor job of concealing their grins.
"POTTER!" I screeched over the raucous. The spectacled boy turned his amused eyes away from Lucius Malfoy, who was trying desperately to tug the silver bow off of him, and slap away a little Christmas elf who was putting his hair into a ponytail.
"What can I do for you Evans love?" Ooo, I loathed him. How he can just sit there, contest with this insanity he's caused, grinning at me so annoyingly, with his Head Boy badge gleaming at me, as if letting everyone know that Potter didn't deserve it.
"STOP THIS! MAKE IT STOP!"
"Don't shout so Lily! It makes your vocal cords strain, and you'll lose that pretty voice of yours." Ugh, how he could be so calm and collected, and leering at me. I clenched my hands, making my fingernails ding into my palms.
"I'LL RIP YOUR VOCAL CORDS OUT IF YOU DON'T MAKE THIS STOP!"
"There's no need to yell Lily." Remus added.
"Besides, it's just some Christmas cheer! It looks to me like you need some, " Black put in his two cents that I couldn't care less about. He plucked a floating candy cane out of the air. "Here, have a candy cane." I slapped it out of his hands, but it just floated back up into the air.
" You're Head Boy Potter. Show some self respect." I snarled at him.
"I don't see what's putting your panties in a twist Evans." Potter blinked up at me innocently.
"These pranks Potter!" I felt like pulling my hair out!
"Does this look like a prank? Like Paddy said, it's just some Christmas cheer!" He folded his hands behind his head, and leaned back.
"Well it's not so cheerful for them!" I pointed my thumb behind me, at Avery, who was now mobbed my the tiny little elves, who were using tinsel to tie more bows on him.
"Nah, they'll get over it. They always do. They're just Slytherins Evans. Now run along. Oh, and don't bother tattle tailing to Dumbledore." Black indicated to the head table. Dumbledore seemed to be enjoying himself immensely, helping himself to candy canes that made him start flying up from his seat. He chuckled, and he floated up even more.
"UGH!" I groaned in exasperation, and stomped back over to my seat. I pulled out my wand, and took the tattooed streamers off of everyone, whispered a few counter jinxes, and watched my work.
All the candy canes clattered to the ground, breaking. The sleigh disappeared with a pop, as did the reindeers, and the elves who'd been bombarding the Slytherins. I left the big bows on though.
"Kill joy!" I heard Black "cough". I glared down at them. Remus looked away, and started chuckling with Sirius. But James just looked right back at me. His eyes looked fearless, challenging look. It almost seemed as though he were interested in something. The ghost of the cocky grin he'd had was still there.
His new look made me unnerved. I looked away from him quickly, shaking the memory of his expression out of my head.
"I'm going upstairs. Anyone coming?"
My friends were all sucking on the candy canes that seemed to put you in a fit of giggles, because Alyssa said, "In-in a m-minute!" With a lot of struggle between her giggles.
I huffed, and stormed out of the Great Hall, avoiding eye contact with the Marauders, and trying to ignore the random bursts of laughter.
Well, maybe Christmas was my favorite time of year.
