Author's Note: Ah. Well, it's possible that I didn't explain myself enough in the last chapter, so I'll try again. I never meant to imply that Lily was a wicca. Nor did I ever say that wiccans practice magic with wands. However, that isn't to say that Lily never took Muggle studies and came across the idea [in research, class, or whatever] and it appealed to her sense of...risk taking, I suppose. She's sick of people believing that she doesn't have a courageous bone in her body, and this is one of her rebellions against that. Don't tell me that you've never rebelled by yourself, on your own, just so that you can prove to yourself that you're not what people expect. That is what Lily was actually doing. It's not endorsed by the teachers, or anyone. It's simply an idea Lily has adopted for herself, which people do. And I apologise to Logical Raven and Hoshi Sama [who could have left their e-mail address if they wanted to further discuss this point] and anyone else I gave the wrong impression to. I never meant to cast Lily as a wiccan.



Two Sided Coin

Silent Night

James woke up Christmas morning with anticipation (and a lot of nervousness) sitting in his stomach. He'd gone shopping for Lily's present 10 days ago, and since then he'd changed his mind a dozen times. He wasn't sure if it was the right present, or if it would strike the right note. What if she didn't like it? What if she laughed in his face? What if she gave him one of her looks of cold disdain? Usually he found them humorous, but he was going out on a limb here, and he wasn't sure about anything anymore, led alone what he'd do if she hated what he'd bought her.

Her present was safely in his trunk, waiting for the right moment to give it to her. He knew she was staying at Hogwarts for Christmas – he'd checked the lists, and besides, she never went home except for Summer. He couldn't understand why. He'd seen her parents once when they'd gotten off Platform 9 and ¾, and they loved her something fierce. They seemed very proud of her.

Sirius hit him with a pillow. He'd been lying inactive for too long. James flipped over and smiled at the boys. There was a pile of presents underneath all of their beds. They quickly ripped their way through their respective piles of presents. James thanked his fellow Marauders for their presents; from Remus he'd been given a book "Twelve Signs You Know She Loves You" ("I figured you might need some help, Prongs."), a mirror from Sirius ("Just say my name and I'll see you immediately. All you need to do is carry it with you. It makes it easy to use a lookout.") and from Peter a statue of a stag that occasionally moved, or, when he set it down, started running over his bed.

They made their way to the common room, James having dug out his present for Lily. He figured he'd take it to her now, before everything else got in the way. He hadn't taken two steps up the stairs before a loud alarm rang and the steps melted into a slide. Marianne walked up to him, smiling knowingly. "You can't go up there. Girls only. And..if you're looking for who I think you're looking for, she's already gone down to breakfast."

James hid his disappointment and walked away, the present hanging from his hand. He'd wanted to give it to her now, but he'd have to wait. Perhaps until dinner, when he could finally catch her. James ran back up to the boys' dorms quickly and replaced the present in his trunk before meeting up with the other guys. He'd give it to her later.

The halls were lined with Christmas trees, holly and ivy. There was, however, no mistletoe – probably to discourage 'fraternization in the halls' as Filch would put it. Someone had hung icicles on the suits of armour, and ice was dangling from their nose. As Sirius, James and Peter walked past, they muttered incantations to hang icicles from other parts of the suits of armour. Remus just looked away, shaking his head wryly.

They spent the day outside, playing in the snow and having a snow fight. James was winning until he saw Lily walk past in a new green coat that clung to her curves and matched the colour of her eyes. He stared transfixed after her until three snowballs hit him in the back. He turned back to the Marauders, glancing occasionally at Lily. She hadn't looked at him once.

After lunch Sirius suggested they stay inside, at which James just nodded and climbed the stares. They collapsed into the sofas, chatting animatedly. Peter looked at James, who wasn't taking part in the discussion, instead gazing into the fire and brooding silently. He started to speak, but Remus just shook his head. They all knew what was wrong with him anyway. Lily was leading him a merry chase, and, while he hadn't won yet, he'd certainly changed – probably for the better, despite what Sirius said.

Peter, Sirius and Remus played Wizards Chess for a while; finally agreeing they were all brilliant and that it was time for dinner. James followed them, sitting with them but staring morosely at his dinner. It was only when Lily sat down across from him that he broke out of his trance, and even then it was only to stare at her incredulously.

"What?" She asked defiantly. "Someone else took my usual seat, and there's no room anywhere else."

Sirius, grinning, looked at the near empty room. "It seems to me that..." A swift kick from Remus shut him up.

For once tactful, the three not-besotted-with-Lily-Evans Marauders ate the rest of their meal in silence. James was still staring at her with amazement, his mind barely on what he was eating. It was only when he missed his mouth and hit himself on the cheek with a forkful of mashed potatoes that he came to his senses and concentrated on what he was doing.

The silence seemed awkward to him. He kept glancing up at Lily, willing her to break the silence. She didn't. Instead, feeling that it was what he had to do to start the conversation, he said, "Do you like-"

It was as far as he got before Lily shot to her feet, announcing. "That's ridiculous! No, Potter, I don't! And I don't like you insinuating things that are clearly untrue. And for your information, I only sat with you because all the other girls have gone home for the holidays except Marianne, and lord knows she jabbers on. No, Potter, I don't like you one bit!" She shot him an angry look before storming out of the hall.

James stared after her, completely confused as to what had just happened. "I was just going to ask her if she liked the mashed potatoes." He said in a bewildered tone.

The boys just burst into mirthful laughter.

They finished their meal in peace, with no more feminine outbreaks. James once again followed the boys to their dorms, trying again to get up the girls stairs. Once again Marianne stopped him, informing him that Lily wasn't there.

Sighing irritably, more sure than ever that girls just weren't worth the trouble, James nonetheless made his way back to his dorms, this time collecting his broomstick, invisibility cloak and his present for Lily. He would give it to her, even if it meant waiting all night for her to return to her room.

He swept his cloak over himself, grabbed the present and settled himself onto his broom. He followed the stairwell down and then up the girls', smiling with delight. The Founders weren't so clever, after all, were they?

He reached the Seventh Year Girls dorms and faced a dilemma. Which bed was Lily's? There were four beds in the dorm. He looked at the possessions scattered around each bed, finally deciding the one with the books scattered around it would be Lily's. After all, she was the only bookish one in the group of girls, wasn't she?

He sat himself on her bed, looking at each of her books in turn. He hoped no one would come in, because though he was in his invisibility cloak, a book floating in seemingly mid air would probably cause just as much sensation as an Erumpent charging through the school. He set the book down.

Marianne entered. James grinned and averted his eyes as she started getting changed, not at all tempted to take a peek at her. Evans was the last one in the dorm. Even when he was planning to surprise her, she was unwilling to go along with the plan.

Marianne was asleep by now, and Lily started to unbutton her blouse. Not wanting her to be angry with him, especially since he'd spent so much time trying to decide on her present, James threw off his cloak, grinning at her shriek of surprise.

"God, Evans, you scream like a girl," he grinned.

"What the hell are you doing in my room? You're not allowed up here! There are magical safeguards in place that make sure you can't be up here!" Her voice was incredulous.

"Apparently, though, they don't work if I fly up here."

She shrugged as the she didn't care, but buttoned up the two buttons she'd undone. "I repeat, Potter. What are you doing up here?"

He looked down at the present in his hands. All of a sudden, it seemed a stupid thing to do, and he shrugged, frantically searching for another reason to give her for being up here. For once, his imagination failed him, and he told her the truth. "I got you a Christmas present, and I wanted to give it to you." He held it out to her.

She took it hesitantly, as if waiting for it to blow up. When it didn't she sat on the bed next to him, he almost grinned with arrogant pride. He'd never given girls presents before (well, his mother, but that didn't count), but if it meant that Lily would sit near him, he'd give her a thousand.

She started unwrapping it slowly, carefully removing each piece of spello-tape before continuing. She opened it, and then stared at it for a minute.

"It's a bikini," he said hurriedly. "It's a muggle thing, so I thought you might like it. It's a swimsuit. So that next Halloween you won't have to swim in the nude and risk being discovered by someone."

She looked up at him, a smile playing on her lips. She grinned at him – the first real grin she'd ever given him – then looked down with a frown. "I didn't get you anything Pott..James."

He shrugged then. "I didn't expect you to. We aren't exactly friends." He grinned though. If he had his way, they'd be more than that, he thought.

She nodded, and for a second he thought she agreed that they'd have their respective ways and be more than friends, then he realised she was agreeing that they weren't friends. "Still," she muttered, "I feel bad for not getting you anything." She looked at her hands, then at him. Finally, she leant in and kissed him softly on the mouth, lips lingering for a second. She pulled back, her face alight with a hectic blush, whispered, "Merry Christmas, James." Then stood up and put both the swimsuit and the wrapping paper in her trunk.

As he left her room on his broomstick, he could have cried, he was so happy.