A/N: Woo! Another cliché fluff! *dances around happily* This time, I have decided to enlighten you, dear readers, with some friendly l/j :) I'm afraid there's no Peter in this one, as he just ruins my overflowing Christmas spirit :( Sorry, Wormtail fans! Oh, and they're in their…er…let's say fifth or sixth year, shall we? :)

***

Remus furrowed his eyebrows in concentration, trying to figure out how on earth he had let Sirius trap him so easily in their game of chess. The latter sat in a chair across from him, whistling idly and filing at his nails.

Just as Remus began to move his piece in what he was sure would be a devastating move, a redheaded fury stormed in from the portrait hole.

"I – HATE – James. Do you know what he did to me? DO YOU? Well, I'm going to tell you," she said, outraged, standing indignantly by their chess table. "I was walking along, back to the portrait hole just minding my own business, when suddenly, that…that slimy, filthy little….prat just sneaks up behind me and yells loud enough to bring the school down! Well, of course I was surprised, so I jumped and turned around – and I hit the piece of gum he just happened to be holding out! LOOK!"

She held up a strand of her fiery red hair and practically shoved it in the other two boys' faces. A large wad of pink gum was firmly attached to the strands. Lily's left eye twitched.

"Er…" said Remus. "I.uh…well, that's too…bad…Lily…"

He instinctively knew he had chosen the wrong words when Lily's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Too bad? Yes. I suppose it is 'too bad.' Well. I'll leave you chums to your chess game, then, won't I? Oh, yes. Too bad indeed."

In something of a trance, she made her way off to the girls' dormitories. Sirius looked at Remus and grinned cheekily.

"She's mad," he said.

Remus, though privately agreeing, shook his head in defense.

"She's angry."

"Angry, mad; do you really think there's a difference? Oh, checkmate."

Remus blinked at the board. Checkmate? It was his turn! The moment he was about to point it out, a much different person strolled into the room. James Potter looked casually over at his friends' chess game.

"You've lost," he pointed out to Remus.

Remus sputtered a little and raised his finger to make a statement, when Sirius butted into the conversation.

"I say, James, aren't you being a bit harsh on Lily? It's ruining my stupendously magnificent Christmas spirit!"

He placed a heart to his hand and made a mock sincere face. Remus muttered about "cheating on Christmas Eve" and snorted. James rolled his eyes.

"Oh, come off it! I'm not doing her harm. Besides, Sirius, I thought you liked pranks!"

"I do, but….er…it's Lily, y'know?"

"ALL THE MORE REASON TO DO IT, THEN!" James roared. "If you two want to sit here and discuss how wonderful she is, then you'll do it without me!" He shook his head at his friends and marched off to the boys' dormitories.

Remus sat baffled at him.

"All I did was mention Lily, and he just went off!" he said incredulously.

Sirius nodded and moved his queen, though it was still not his turn.

"It's 'cause he's madly in love with her! Haven't you noticed, Moony?"

***

Lily woke with a start at ten and looked around. She could have sworn she heard a door creaking. Slipping on a bathrobe, she padded softly down the stairs. The common room was noticeably empty, but not quite dark, as a few soft embers still glowed in the fireplace. Lily, for some odd reason now fully awake, placed another log on  it and settled down in comfortable velvet loveseat directly in front of the fireplace.

She closed her eyes for a minute and allowed the warmth to wash over her and the merry sounds of the crackling log play music to her ears.

"Lily?"

She jumped and looked around. There, standing on the stairs, was the very bleary-eyed, extremely disheveled-looking James, yawing loudly.

"Li" – he held up his hand to stifle another yawn – "Lily, whatcha doin?"

Lily, although convincing herself that she felt the deep hatred towards the human being standing on the stairs, was in no mood to argue or insult, so just sighed and leaned her head back on the loveseat.

"Just…resting, you know?"

James made his way heavily down the rest of the stairs and grinned roguishly at her.

"Resting, eh? Wouldn't that be better done in bed?"

Lily, dimly wondering what had come over her and why in the world she did not feel the need to be rude yet, just stuck out her feet to the fire.

"It's much nicer here, wouldn't you agree?"

James, much to Lily's utmost horror, plopped himself down beside her on the loveseat and sighed exaggeratedly.

"Ahhh, mmmmm! You're right, it is! Why, I feel like I'm soooooaring over the ocean!"

Lily, not being able to help herself, giggled at his humorous impression of her and punched him playfully on the arm.

"Mmpff, haha – I mean, er…Be quiet, you fool! – haha hehe -  It's quite unkind to make fun of others that way – hehehe haha!"

James grinned at her again and wiggled his feet by the fire.

"You know," he said, steering off topic, "In some countries, you have to walk on coals to 'become a man'! I suppose I'll have to stay a child my whole life, then, won't I?"

"I can just imagine you trying to walk on coals, James! You'd probably find some way to make it seem as if you were, then not really do it."

"Oh yes, I would coat my feet in salamander slime and quench them all, is that it?"

"Oh no, I was thinking more along the lengths of having one of your friends do I for you!"

James looked indignant. "My friends? What kind of a monster do you think I am?"

"An annoying one."

"Well, can't argue with that, can I?"

"But you're going to anyway, aren't you?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am."

Lily laughed and shifted herself on the seat.

"Well," she said, "go on then, let's hear it!"

James moved so he was facing her and started, using elaborate hand movements and largely exaggerated facial expressions, telling Lily why he most certainly was not an annoying monster.

"…and," he said grandly at the end of his explanation, "I'm too cute to be annoying! That, fair maiden, are the reasons I simply cannot be an annoying monster!"

He took and elaborate bow sitting down and Lily laughed again. She seemed to be doing quite a lot of that.

"Well, I don't quite agree with that last point, but I suppose you've convinced me enough."

James' face suddenly looked oddly serious, and Lily could not help but wonder why.

"Have I?" James said quietly. "Have I really?"

Lily answered, puzzled, "Well…yes. I said so, didn't I?"

James nodded and leaned forward the tiniest bit.

"Then," he said, somewhat breathlessly, "you won't mind if I do this."

He leaned forward just a little more and gently brushed his lips on Lily's.  Lily sat wide-eyed for a couple seconds after and said, a little dazed,

"No…no, I…I don't suppose I do…"

This time she was the one to lean forward and press her lips against his. This time, though, it did not break until much later.

"James?" Lily said breathlessly.

"Mm?"

"What'll they all think about this?"

"That's the wrong question, Lils. The question is: Do we really care what they think?"

Lily grinned and whispered secretly in his ear.

"Nope."

***

A/N: The hopeless romantic strikes again! *cackles and waves around little cape thing* I'm afraid there wasn't quite as much fluffiness as I meant to put in there, but oh well. Its sappy enough as it is, wouldn't you agree? *grins* Now, I want to write a Draco fic next. What do you dear readers suggest? D/H? or D/G? I'd very much like to know!