A/N: Well, this is my second fanfic. It's my second Lily and James, and it's a Christmas fic. Enjoy, review, and have yourself a merry little Christmas.

Disclaimer: I do not own any Harry Potter related materials. The only things that are mine are the plot, and anything you don't recognize.

Pairing: Lily/James

Rated: PG

The Perfect Christmas

Chapter One: Misery Loves Company

On any perfect Christmas Eve, the snow would be falling gently, gliding down towards earth from the sky above, landing softly on the ground, creating a smooth lawn of pure white. On any perfect Christmas Eve, Lily Evans would have been hanging delicate crystal ornaments on a freshly cut evergreen tree with her father, while listening to non-stop Christmas music, or baking delicious gingerbread with her mother, while telling her about the first semester at Hogwarts. And on any perfect Christmas Eve, Lily would have been enjoying herself, feeling content and happy and loved.

But this was not a perfect Christmas Eve.

Lily was stuck at Hogwarts for the winter holidays for this, her seventh year. She wished more than anything that she were home with her family, hanging ornaments or baking gingerbread. Even having to endure the company of her sister Petunia would have been better than being alone for Christmas. Her mother had owled her last Wednesday, just before Professor McGonagall had sent around a sign-up sheet for those staying at Hogwarts for the holidays, saying that she and Lily's father would be spending Christmas and New Year's in Majorca with Petunia and her new husband, Vernon. They would be staying in the Dursley's vacation house, and there wouldn't be enough room for Lily to stay as well. But Lily knew what her mother had left out. Petunia didn't want her there, and although she hated her sister, Lily hated spending Christmas, which was supposed to be the happiest time of the year, all alone even more.

She hadn't minded at first, because her best friend, Lynn, was supposed to stay at school for the holidays too. Unfortunately, Lynn's father had owled her only the previous day with the news that her mother had fallen down a flight of steps and broken her leg. With her mother confined to a bed, Lynn's assistance was needed at home to care for her younger brother and two sisters. So Lily was alone.

And to top it all off, there was no gentle snow falling. There was however, ton after ton of snow falling from the sky, and wind blowing so hard that if one looked out a window, all he would see was white.

Lily hated blizzards.

At least the weather reflects my mood, she thought sullenly.

She was sitting in one of the two scarlet armchairs closest to the roaring fire in the Gryffindor common room. The other armchair was currently unoccupied.

She had her favorite Muggle novel, The Secret Garden, open on her lap, but she wasn't reading. She had tried to focus on her book, but all she could think about was how unfair it was that she had to spend Christmas alone.

Just then, the portrait at the entrance to the common room swung open, and in walked a handsome young man with unruly black hair and a mischievous glint in his chocolate brown eyes.

Well, not entirely alone.

"'Morning, Lily." James greeted her warmly.

Lily sighed inwardly as she placed a bookmark in her book, and closed it silently.

"Good morning, James." She replied.

Lily considered James to be her friend. Ever since they had been appointed prefects at the beginning of last year, they had called a truce.

Before that, however, they had been bitter enemies. Lily had always been a target of Marauders' pranks, mainly because she was top of most classes, always right above them. They couldn't have a girl beat them, could they, now? She not only hated being pranked, but also hated the fact that James would prank people just for fun, especially if he didn't like them. Severus Snape was the person the pranked most often, for two reasons. One being that Snape was a Slytherin, and two, he had been known not to hesitate in calling Muggleborns mudbloods, in which case, the Marauders felt it was their duty to make him sorry. Although Lily appreciated the fact that they felt the need to stand up for her, as well as other Muggleborns, she didn't like how they dealt with it. She knew first hand how embarrassing some of the Marauder's pranks could be.

There was also the slight detail of James being and arrogant, egotistical jock. He was under the impression that because he was on the Quidditch team, and held the title of Quidditch Captain, and did well academically, that he was some sort of an amazing person who was above the rules. He would strut around the castle, acting like he owned the place, hexing people merely for laughs.

Lily had to admit though, that James had certainly improved himself if the last few years. When they had both been appointed Gryffindor prefects in their sixth year, he had stopped pranking Lily, figuring that if they had to work well with each other, they might as well be on good terms. Eventually, he had even stopped bragging about his Quidditch talents, and currently, the only person that he hexed on a daily basis was Snape. Lily managed to look past that, seeing as she hated Snape, as well as the rest of the crowed, for the numerous times they had ridiculed her.

And then this year, when she and James had been appointed as heads, he made a noticeable attempt to befriend her. Though it was only December, and the school year less then half over, Lily had come to see that he wasn't really that bad when he tried to behave himself. They had worked on a few projects as Head Boy and Girl so far this year, and had come to be friendlier towards each other in the process.

"You missed breakfast, so I brought you some toast." James said, as he handed her a few slices, wrapped up neatly in a napkin.

"Thanks, that was really thoughtful of you."

She unrolled the napkin, and started munching on her toast, thinking that maybe this holiday wouldn't be so bad, if she had to spend it with James. Sure he still had a big ego sometimes, but all in all, he was all right.

"So what made you stay for Christmas?" James asked Lily, starting a polite conversation, and plopping himself down in the vacant armchair next to her own.

"My parents are spending the holiday with my sister and her new husband. There's not enough room for me in the vacation house, so I'm staying here." She replied. She didn't have to ask why he had decided to stay. She knew.

His parents had been murdered last year, by the Dark wizard who went by the name Lord Voldemort. She knew the story; he had told her last year, when she'd asked if he were going home for the holidays.

And she knew that this year, he had stayed because none of his friends were able to have him stay with them. Sirius's parents, whom Lily thought Sirius must really hate, had said no, James could absolutely not stay with them, and why did Sirius even bother asking? Peter was going to France to stay with his brother. And Remus, the poor guy, the full moon was the day after Christmas, and he had gone home to endure it.

He must feel just as lonely as I do, Lily thought. Well then, at least we can be lonely and miserable together. Maybe this holiday will turn out better than I thought.