Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series, or any of its characters.
A/N: Hello readers! Please feel free to review! Anyway, this is just a Lily/James one-shot, so please enjoy!
~Peanutbuttercup
*Waiting for the Snowfall*
She stands by the window, watching the flakes of frozen water fall, graceful and sparkling in the dusky twilight. Tucking long hair behind an ear, she is taken back, lost in memories to a few years before.
"I don't know Lily. You've always said you hate this boy. What's made you change your mind in only a couple of months?"
"I never said I hated him. I said he was an arrogant, bullying toerag."
"My point exactly."
"He's changed. At the beginning of the year, when I found out he was Head Boy, I didn't think he'd be up to it. But he really did change. Please give him a chance—it's not like we're dating. He's just my friend."
David Evans sighed. "Alright. But there's a catch."
"Dad—"
"Just listen, Lily. I know you think he's changed, and I believe you. I never said the catch was a bad one, did I?"
"What do you mean?"
"You don't think Mary and Alice are going to want to come? I was going to say you should invite them…and their significant others too, I suppose."
"That's the catch? Dad, I love you! Thank you so much!"
Lily jumped up from her seat, scattering the numerous couch cushions. She threw her arms around her father, and proceeded to run out of the room. She heard his voice as she rushed up the stairs, "Don't forget to tell your mother, and Petunia!"
"I won't!" Lily closed the door to her room, breathless. She was having a Christmas party! She had wanted one for years—it was her favorite holiday after all. She crossed the room, absentmindedly looking for her quill and a piece of parchment to owl her friends. A soft hoot called her attention to her desk, where her spotted owl, Swoop, sat in his cage, rather pointedly looking at her, and then to the desk, where her quill lay.
"Oh. Thanks Swoop." Lily grabbed her quill, and rummaged in the desk drawer. "Found it!" She cried, triumphantly waving the parchment. Dipping her quill in the ink, she began to write to Mary.
Dear Mary,
He said yes! He was the only one I really needed to convince, as Mom was all for it, and Petunia will probably just go to Vernon's for the evening. Anyway, I hope you can come—Dad said you could bring a friend if you want, so be here about 6:00 tomorrow night. It won't be formal, so wear something comfortable, but make sure you're warm, because we'll be outside for a bit.
~Love, Lily
P.S.Theowl'snameisSwoop.Hewon'tstopharassingyouuntilyouaddresshimbyhisname.Ithinkhejustlikesitwhenpeoplerealizehisamazingflyingskills.
P.P.S. Sorry, but try and spread the word that everyone should bring ice skates….
Satisfied, she copied the letter out to Alice and James. "Alright, Swoop. You know who these go to right? If you want a special treat, fly as fast as you can."
Swoop clicked his beak, fluttering his wings and diving out of Lily's window. "But don't you dare hurt yourself!" she called after him. The owl dived again, executing one of the perfect, swooping acrobatics for which he was named, hooting an answer to her. Lily turned from the window, shaking her head. "I love that owl."
"Mom, Dad agreed!" shouted Lily as she bounded down the steps. Lily walked into the kitchen, straight into her sister.
Lily had always wondered why Petunia was jealous of her. Petunia could do many things Lily couldn't dream of doing—she could knit, she was an excellent dancer, and she had an amazing knack for cleaning. It seemed the one thing Petunia couldn't do was the one thing she wanted most.
"Agreed to what?" asked Petunia asked, suspicious and quite a bit curious.
"Where's Mom?"Lily asked, skirting the question.
"She went out. Something about not having enough flour for Christmas cookies."
"Oh." Lily turned to leave, but not before Petunia grabbed her sleeve.
"What did Dad agree to?"
"Some of my friends from school are coming over for a Christmas party tomorrow night. You don't have to be there if you don't want to be."Lily held her breath, waiting for the insults and dislike to coming pouring out of Petunia like rain after a drought, and then—
"I'll come." Petunia looked odd, like she was surprised to hear herself say it.
"Why? Why are you being nice?"
Petunia shrugged. "Call it holiday cheer. I miss talking to you. I miss being your older sister. So I'm going to try. I don't how long it'll last, but I promise to try Lily."
Lily blinked. "Thanks."
"I've got a condition though. Try not to use it in front of me."
Lily nodded. "Ok. I'll try."
Approximately two hours later, the Evans women were baking cookies. Petunia chased Lily, who had stolen the chocolate chips, around the kitchen, while Rose Evans threw back her head and laughed, almond shaped green eyes sparkling with mirth, blond hair sprinkled with flour.
Lily was woken relatively early the next morning by her owl. "Go 'way Swoop. 'M tryin to sleep,"she mumbled. "OW!" Lily jolted upright, banging her headboard in the process. She held her head in her hands, fairly sure her forehead was going to bruise. Swoop, who had taken it upon himself to wake her, had nipped her nose, quite effectively waking her. He ruffled his feathers, hooting and looking quite pleased with himself. Lily shot him a disgusted look. "I know, I know. I promised you a treat." Swoop replied with another hoot, flapping over to his cage.
Lily got out of bed, yawning and shivering. She placed two Owl Treats in his food dish, and untied the replies her friends had sent her.
DearLily,
Thanks for inviting me! I mean, I knew you would, but courtesy is always a nice touch. James told me to tell you—no, I don't know why he can't owl you himself—that he isn't bringing a friend, as Sirius is at his girlfriend's for a party there. While I'm at it, I might as well tell you that I just knowAlice will bring Frank. Anyway, I'm bringing cookies, and Remus. See you at 6:00(ish).
~Love, Mary
Lily looked at her reflection in the mirror. She wore a pine green sweater and a pair of dark jeans. Petunia had even helped braid a length of green ribbon through Lily's dark red hair. She nodded. She was practically a Christmas tree, with all the red and green on her person.
Downstairs in the living room, the Evans family sat looking at an old photo album, filled with pictures of past Christmases. The Christmas tree twinkled merrily, baubles and tinsel reflecting the blinking lights of the tree. Petunia sat next to Lily, matching her in opposites; she wore a red sweater and light jeans, her blond hair twisted up with a red ribbon.
Pop.
The family, save Lily, jumped, turning to look towards the fireplace. "I'm sorry; I forgot to ask if it would be alright if we Apparated. I hope we didn't give you too much of a scare." Lily laughed, hugging the apologizing brunette.
"It's alright Mary. As long as you remembered to bring the cookies."
"Remember them? We were nearly late; she rewrapped them so many times." Blond Alice rolled her eyes, arm in arm with her boyfriend Frank.
"Hey," began Mary, "the only reason I had to rewrap them was because James and Remus here kept eating them!"
The two accused shared a grin. James chuckled, "We were just testing them. Making sure they were fit to be wrapped so beautifully."
"Yes," Remus continued, "Mary, you should take our going back so many times as a compliment to your fine baking."
Mary scowled, trying to fight back a smile. "Anyway, you want to introduce us Lily?"
"Sure. Family, these are my friends, Mary, who you've already met, Alice Prewett, Frank Longbottom, James Potter, and Remus Lupin. Aforementioned friends, this is my family; Mom, Dad, and Petunia."
"Very nice vocabulary Lily," Frank commented.
"Thanks. I do try. Petunia?"
"Hmm?" she asked, sitting on the couch munching one of Mary's gingerbread cookies.
"Do you want to show them now, or later?" Petunia stood, brushing crumbs off her face and jeans.
"Let's show them now."
The two sisters led the way outside, down the front steps, and into the backyard. Pine trees surrounded a pond, home too many of the Evans's best Christmas memories. Colored Muggle lights were strung over trees and bushes, making the scenery glow. Untouched snow crunched under their feet as they led the way to the pond.
"Wow, did you two do this by yourself?" James asked his voice clear and ringing slightly on the shivering winter air.
"Yeah," said Lily, sharing a smile with Petunia. "We did it together."
The group of seven squeezed on a bench really only meant for three people, lacing up their skates, the bench groaning its protests. "Does everyone know how to skate?" Petunia asked, standing up and wobbling over to the pond. There were nods and murmurs of assent, and she stepped onto the pond, leaving a path of ice shavings in her wake.
"Come on then," Frank said, holding out his hand to Alice. The couple stepped out together, hands clasped—and Alice wobbled, her notorious clumsiness bringing her and Frank down together. Mary laughed, passing them on the ice as Remus led her around the pond's perimeter. James walked over as fast as his skates allowed, bending down to ask if they were all right. Alice took his offered hand, standing back up, only to slip, her arms windmilling wildly, as Frank pulled her back on his lap, fitting his mouth to hers. Lily smiled, following her friends out to the pond.
Two fierce snowball fights later, Lily's friends and Petunia headed in, soaked and ready for hot chocolate and Christmas cookies. Lily had stayed outside, estimating the time to be about 8:00—the weatherman had promised snow later that evening, and she wanted to see it.
She skated around the pond, coming to a halt in the center. Slowly she rotated on the spot, looking up at the sky, waiting for the flakes of winter sugar to fall from the sky….
"Lily!" Lily yelped, startled, and lost her balance, falling hard onto the ice. She blinked, looking up into the eyes of James Potter.
"What did you do that for?"
"What do you mean? I must've called your name a hundred times! Why weren't you answering?"
Lily sighed. "I was waiting for the snow to fall. I told everybody I'd be in soon."
James shrugged. "We got a little worried. It's been about a half hour since then."
"Oh. Well, now that you're here, do you want to wait with me?"
"Sure," James replied, pulling her to her feet. She slipped her arms around his neck, his arms resting on her waist. Slowly, they twirled together on the spot, waiting for the snowfall.
"James," Lily said, breaking their comfortable silence. He looked at her, waiting expectantly. "I was just thinking…why didn't you owl me yourself? Why'd you send a reply through Mary?"
"That's what you've been thinking about this whole time? You should've asked sooner. It's really quite simple." James looked as if he was trying not to laugh.
"Well, why didn't you?"
James' laughter escaped, bouncing across the wintry landscape. "I didn't have your address! My owl couldn't find you!"
Lily joined in, both of them laughing, forgetting that there was a war going on, that they were in their last year of Hogwarts….
Their laughter had quieted, and they still twirled gently on the spot. Lily was looking up into James' eyes, counting the stars reflected in them, and admitted something to herself that she had just realized. She had feelings for him. Lily had feelings for James. And this time, Lily wasn't about to push him away.
She realized how much she missed his attention, how much she missed him asking her out. He had tried once more at the beginning of the year—and of course, she had said no. But Lily realized now, how intelligent he was, how kind and brave and honest, how he had changed and matured…
Lily bit her lip, hoping she hadn't ruined it all, hoping that he would give her one more chance…
So, when he opened his mouth to speak, she knew what he was going to say.
"Lily, will you go out with me?" His gaze was anxious, and he nervously ran his hand through his hair, pushed his glasses up his nose.
"Yes. I will." The snow had finally started falling, petite, fluffy white flakes kissing their cheeks. Odd, how she hadn't noticed, caught up staring into James' eyes…
Just as she knew what he would ask, she knew now what he wanted to try. Lily obliged, raising herself up on the tiptoes of her skates, waiting for his mouth to meet hers…
As the couple completed their long-waited for kiss, the snow swirled around them, lodging in their hair, sticking to their lashes. But the couple had thoughts only for each other, as they once again begin to count the stars in the others' eyes…
The woman at the window sighs, content. It is completely dark now, and the frozen water catches the light from the window, flakes falling as if they were stars. He comes up quietly behind her, his hand capturing hers, spinning her around as if they were still two teenagers on a pond lit with blinking lights and starlight.
His mouth fits to hers, and she smiles against his lips, both remembering their first kiss.