17th Year
Lily stayed lying down on her bed with her eyes closed. Today was a day to sleep in; not. True, her friends had all gone home for Christmas and she had the whole dormitory to herself, but with James and his friends screaming and fighting over who's present was better at six a.m. sleeping in was not going to happen. Lily had chosen to stay at Hogwarts because her sister, Petunia, was an absolute prat. Petunia had always been jealous of her beauty and the attention mum and dad gave her for being the only witch in the family. Whenever Lily came home for the holidays Petunia made it a point to show her hatred for the supernatural by lashing out at her sister. Besides, Hogwarts was more inviting.
With a theatrical sigh Lily got up and started dressing in warm clothes. She glanced over at the small pile of presents by her bed. With suppressed excitement she sat down on the edge of her bed and unwrapped her presents. The tag said from Professor Slughorn, but she was already tearing into the present. She pulled out a small vile that was labeled Love Potion. Lily felt a hot flush as she remembered her last encounter with Slughorn. During potions he announced to the whole class that Lily was looking for a boyfriend when he discovered that a "rare beauty" like her was mateless. Immediately after class Longbottem asked her out. She politely said no. She wasn't boy crazy, like some of her friends. Sge finished unwrapping presents and decide that this might not be such a bad Christmas,
Lily quietly crept through the common room. The boys had finished fighting and were now busy admiring their presents. Lily smiled to herself. In previous years she found James, Sirius, and Lupin quite annoying. But now she found them amusing and occasionally even funny. " Hi Evans. Hope we didn't wake you." Why James was whispering was beyond Lily. For a while they compared presents and traded sweets from home. They had a quick breakfast and then spent the better part of the day in a huge snowball fight. Sirius and James against Lily and Lupin. James' team won. On the way back to the common room Sirius talked about writing a letter to the Ministry about making snowball fights a national sport. Lily wasn't listening though. She was too busy mulling over James. All day he had been staring at her strangely.
Once again the house elves had managed to cook up a magnificent feast. The students all ate heartily till they were stuffed. When Lily was about to leave for he common room a girl in her second year replayed a message given to her from James. The girl said to meet him at he beginning of he P section in the library for a Christmas present. Lily ran to the library wondering what he might give to her. Maybe this is why he had been staring at her strangely all day.
Lily quietly entered he library and stood where the girl had told her. Within a few minutes James entered. He came right up with a knowing smile on his face. She spoke up before she could stop myself, "Why are you-?" "Look." he said pointing up. Lily looked up slightly exasperated. Mistletoe. No. No way. She was still thinking that when he kissed her.