7.

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...

"If it isn't my favorite boys!"

Lily launched onto the overstuffed sofa where Sirius was sitting in front of the fireplace with Remus. Settling in between Remus and Sirius, both boys complained. Remus moved away so Lily's hips would fit on the cushion and Sirius' arm fell from the back of the sofa in despair as Lily made herself comfortable.

"Where's James?" Remus asked, "Shouldn't you two be snogging until New Years?"

Lily brushed her fingers through her hair with a grin, "he's on rounds."

"Alone?"

Lily nodded, "I told him that I felt sick so that I could talk to you boys alone."

Sirius' lips thinned, "What do you want?"

Lily smiled sweetly at Sirius, "I've got a long list."

"I could care less."

"It's about James."

"Ah," Sirius and Remus grinned at each other over Lily's head, "you're regretting snogging him now, aren't you?"

"No!" Lily pushed Sirius, "I will never regret snogging him."

"I did." Remus muttered nonsensically and Sirius barked a laugh.

Lily turned to Remus with a arched brow, "You've snogged my boyfriend?"

Remus sent Lily a wolfish smile, "Mad, Evans?"

"Since it's the season of forgiveness, no." Lily straightened in her seat, "Anyways, I'm here about Christmas."

"Christmas?" they both asked simultaneously.

"Yes." Lily leaned back against the cushions, "I don't know what to get James for Christmas."

"Don't get him anything?" Sirius suggested.

"He's really not that hard to shop for," Remus added with a smile, "I've gotten him zonkos trick wands since first year and he screams every time."

"That's just cause he doesn't want to hurt your feelings Moony," Sirius told Remus, "he has a pile of those joke wands at the bottom of his trunk."

Remus placed a hand to his chest, "he does?" he was aghast, "But he said he loves the fake wands?"

"Don't shoot the messenger." Sirius muttered into his sleeve.

"What am I supposed to do?" Remus sounded beside himself, "I already bought him some for this Christmas!"

"See," Lily threw her hands up in the air, "What do I get for a boy who wants for nothing?"

"Well," Sirius said sarcastically, "he wanted this one thing for a long time."

Lily perked up, "What?"

"You."

Remus coughed up a laugh and Lily pinched Sirius' side.

"He already has me." Lily bemoaned.

"Rotten luck." Sirius clicked his tongue, "You could've wrapped yourself up with a pretty bow."

Lily groaned and placed her head in her hands, "Do you think if I buy him his father's hair potion as a joke that he'd never snog me again?"

"I think you could wrap Snape up in bows and he'd still snog you." Remus snickered.

"He would definitely stop snogging you if you brought him Snivellus Snape wrapped up in a bow." Sirius muttered into her other ear, shooting Remus a disgraced look, "I certainly wouldn't snog you."

Lily pulled her hands from her face to look at Sirius pathetically, "I wouldn't snog me either."

"I don't want to snog any of you." Remus stood up to stretch. "now can we go grab some dinner? I'm starving."

"We can't go get dinner!" Lily protested, "Not until you tell me what to get James for Christmas!"

Sirius ruffled Lily's hair, "Why are you so worried about what to get James?" he asked affectionally, "It's not like you cared before!"

"I've always cared," Lily disagreed, "I just care a little bit more this year."

"Does James' mouth have anything to do with that?" Remus snickered.

"More like his-"

"What did you get James?" Lily asked Sirius, placing her hands on his shoulder and giving him puppy dog eyes, "you know him better than anyone! What does he want this year?"

Sirius snorted, "I don't ever buy James anything." Sirius rolled his eyes, "I am the gift."

"Sirius." Lily half cried, "help me, help you, help me!"

"I dunno Evans," Sirius stood up too, leaving Lily alone on the sofa, "ask him yourself."

"You're both super unhelpful." Lily crossed her arms.

Sirius slung an arm around Remus' shoulders as they both grinned down at her.

"I have an idea," Remus said helpfully and Lily looked up hopefully, "when Christmas day comes around pretend you have amnesia and that you didn't know it was Christmas."

"I am not going to fake amnesia." Lily said, "Honestly. Amnesia and Christmas doesn't go together."

"I think it sounds intriguing." Remus said, "Definitely entertaining."

"I am not going to fake amnesia."

"Good luck with getting him a gift then."

Remus and Sirius' laughs echoed in Lily's head long after they high fived and left the common room. Lily let out a cry and fell across the sofa dramatically. It was four days to Christmas and she had nothing for James.

James.

Who was one of her favorite people on the entire planet and should've been easy to shop for.

James.

Who at this very moment was doing rounds alone because Lily had lied and said she had cramps when in all actuality she'd needed to figure out what to get him for Christmas.

James.

Who was probably the only other person in the world beside Lily's father who could call her 'Lil' and get away with it.

"James Potter what am I going to get you for Christmas?" Lily cried out to the vacant common room, her head pushed back into the pillows.

"You shouldn't stress so much dear," a portrait spoke up from above, "after all, Christmas isn't about the gifts. It's about spending time with those you love."

Lily opened one eye to glare at the witch in the painting, "It can be about both, you know."

The witch narrowed her eyes at Lily from her portrait, "Youths these days, so selfish. In my day we were lucky if we got a mince pie with our dinner."

Lily, not wanting to hear the witch talk any longer, rolled off the sofa. She dragged herself up the stairs to her dorm room only to fall onto her bed in despair. After flipping through three magazines and eighteen gift catalogs Lily had determined nothing was good enough for James. After all, he was rich, he could get anything he wanted. As far as Lily could tell, there was nothing she could get James that he couldn't get for himself.

Lily stared at herself in the mirror as she braided her hair before bed, "When did Christmas get so complicated?"


Next Time:

"Did they tell you to fake amnesia on Christmasy day, too?"

"Yes!"

"Those bastards."


Hey guys! This 2k a night is such a challenge which is why this chapter is only about 900 words lol but thanks for sticking through this with me! Some nights are definitely easier than others, tonight was so hard because my family is in town and they want to spend time with me during my normal writing hours. I definitely see why people complain about the writing challenges where you have to write 2k a night now lololol

Love you guys! See you tomorrow!

xxx

Petals