Chapter 48- Christmas and the New Nickname

Tara had received a letter from her mum and.dad a week before Christmas break.

Dear Tara,

How are you doing? I just wanted to let you know, you can stay at school for the holidays cause, well, its Canada and you might not get to go back, so can stay for the break. Anyways, I hope they find Dumbledore, safe and unharmed. Poor old guy. See you in June!

Love Mum and Dad

"Cool, hey Shnookums, are you staying for the break?"

"Yea, you?"

"Certainly."

"Amber, how about you? Daniel, you too?" asked James.

"Nah, I'm going to Daniel's house."

"And I spent 2 years here, I don't need more!" said Daniel.

Soon enough, all the students that were leaving.left. James and Tara and 1 other girl had the whole Swallow common room to them selves.

"You know what we haven't done in a while." Said James on Christmas Eve.

"What haven't we done in a while?"

"Gone for a walk, just us."

"We never did that.you want to?"

"Sure."

Tara and James made they're way out of the castle. They walked around a big pond in the far corner of the grounds, near the gamekeeper's hut. Everything was peaceful until SMACK- "Ow" from James.

He had stepped on a rake's bristles and the handle got him in the face.

"Oh my, are you ok?!"

"I've been better.thanks."

"Do you want to sit for a bit? Or do you want to go back to the common room?" asked Tara.

"Ah, lets go back to the common room. I want to go to bed cause tomorrows Christmas!"

"Alright."

Tara and James walked back to their common room, said their goodnights and went to bed. Early the next morning, James came bounding into Tara's dorm.

"HAPPY CHRISTMAS." He shouted. Tara groaned.

"Habby Cribtmaz." Said Tara with her face in her pillow.

"I have a present for you!"

"And I do for you too."

"Open yours first!"

James handed Tara the boxed he was carrying. She opened the small one first. Inside was a muggle CD.

"Sweet! All my favorite songs!" she said. Tara started to open the bigger box and inside there was a muggle CD player.

"Well.I figured you didn't have anything to play the CD with." Shrugged James. "We were always' using mine I thought you might want to listen on your own and at home."

"Thank you. Here's yours."

James hungrily ripped though the paper. Inside was a new shirt, like the Hawaiian one that he made Tara wear in the summer, with a red dragon going up the back.

"Sweet, thanks!" he said putting it on.

'Nice choice Tara, nice choice.' Thought Tara.

The two of them spent their day lounging around the common room. It was nearing midnight. It was just the two of them.

"Well, I'd love to stay here and.stay with you but I'm exhausted." Said James stretching.

Tara got up with James and hugged him. "Thank you for this wonderful day." She whispered in his ear and did something she has never done in her life to another guy and kissed him. Not like that measly one their first year Christmas but a real kiss.

When they broke apart, they were both a deep scarlet and burning up.

"Whoa." Was all that was said from James, he was in a dazed sort of state. Tara made him face up and right above him was mistletoe. "Ah, never in my life have I been a victim of a plant.plant tools maybe, but not a plant."

"Good night, Shnookums."

"Err, about Shnookums.can I change my nickname?"

"Sure."

"Can it be Jae?" (A/n: Pronounced Jay)

"Yes, it can be Jae."