A Marauder's Christmas
Chapter Four
December 25th
Disclaimer: Nothing you might recognise belongs to me
And here's part 2! Hope you all love it loads and leave me a nice big review as a Christmas present! Oh yes and did I mention, MERRY CHRISTMAS!
After their energetic morning, Remus, Lily, James and Sirius relaxed in the common room during the afternoon.
"I'm bored!" said Sirius, five minutes after they had thrown themselves on couches,
"Well, alright, let's play truth or dare!" said James, a gleam in his eye, "Wanna play, Lils?"
Lily looked up from her book. The boys watched her thinking for a minute. "I suppose so," she said,
"Great!" said Sirius, "OK, Moony. Truth or Dare?"
"Truth, I guess," said Remus, looking rightfully worried.
Sirius thought for a minute. "Moony, do you fancy anybody in this room?"
Remus glanced around, uncomfortably. "No," he said,
"Ah, but you do fancy a Gryffindor?" Sirius said, grinning,
"I've had my question. Lily, truth or dare?" said Moony,
"Dare," said Lily,
"I dare you to stand up and sing Jingle Bells right now!"
Lily blushed but stood up anyway. She gulped and opened her mouth,
"Jingle Bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way,
Oh what fun it is to ride,
On a one horse open sleigh!"
The three boys cheered as Lily sat down blushing. The few Gryffindors' in the room joined in.
"Thanks," said Lily, quietly, "Sirius, truth or dare?"
"Dare" said Sirius, immediately,
"I dare you to kiss that girl over there!"
"Lily Evans!" said James, in mock amazement, "Where do you get these dares from?"
Before Lily could answer, Sirius stood up and shaking his long hair off his shoulders, he marched over to a forth year Gryffindor.
"Hey, darling," he said, huskily, "Merry Christmas!" He leaned forward and kissed the girl on the lips before strutting back over to the group. The girl giggled and turned blushing to her gob smacked friend. Sirius Black was a heart throb to the younger girls. Everyone present knew that girl would be the heroine of the younger girls in the New Year.
"Honestly, you don't half look pleased with yourself," said James, noticing his friend's face.
Sirius laughed. "Prongs, truth or dare?"
"Truth," said James,
"Do you, James Potter, love our lovely Lily Evans?" he asked,
"Yes," said James, looking straight at Lily,
Lily blushed.
"What?" said Remus, "No 'I'd rather go out with the giant squid than with you, James Potter?"
Lily blushed again but laughed.
"Right my turn," said James, "Lily, truth or dare?"
"Er, truth I guess," she said,
"Lily, do you like me more than a friend?" James asked, sincerely.
Lily's face screwed up in panic. "I… I can't do this," she whispered, hurriedly getting up. She ran up the stairs into the girls dormitories.
The Marauder's stared at each other, confused.
"Wow," said Sirius,
"I hope she's OK," said James, quietly,
"I'll go after her," said Remus, "Accio broomstick!"
Remus' broomstick soared in through the open window and into his hand. He got onto it and flew up the girl's staircases.
"Come on, Prongs," said Sirius, sympathetically, "Let's have a game of wizard chess! Keep your mind focussed!"
James let himself be dragged off but his mind stayed fixed on Lily, meaning he lost spectacularly to Sirius.
Meanwhile, Remus had slipped silently into the sixth year girl's dormitory.
"Lily?" he asked. There was a sniff.
Remus looked around and saw a heap on one of the beds. He went over and sat down on the end of the bed.
"You OK?" he asked, softly, putting his hand on her shoulder,
"I don't know, Remus," she sobbed, sitting up.
Remus patted her shoulder. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know if I like him or not! He's teased me all these years and I've hated him!" Lily wailed,
"Are you sure you hated him?" Remus asked,
"I don't know, but since the beginning of this, I started to like him a bit but my old feeling of hate was more powerful so that's why I'm always so mean to him!" explained Lily,
"Oh," said Remus,
"Yeah, and then today when he found me crying earlier and was so nice to me, this weird feeling I've had just multiplied and I just don't know!" said Lily, crashing down on her pillow again,
"Do you think you like him then?" asked Remus, softly,
"Yes," came the muffled reply,
"OK," said Remus, "I'm going back down now. Come down if you want,"
"OK," said Lily.
Remus retuned to the common room. James stood up as soon as he saw him.
"Is she OK?" he asked, in anguish,
"Yes," said Remus,
"Good," said Sirius,
"I'm going to the Owlery. Coming?" asked Remus,
"I will!" said Sirius, getting up,
"Nah. I got some stuff to do," said James,
"Alright. See you later," said Sirius, giving his friend a knowing look,
"I'll leave my broom here and take it down later," said Remus, grinning at Sirius, "Come on!"
Once Sirius and Remus had left, James picked up Remus' broomstick and flew up to the girls dormitories. He entered the one where Lily was.
"Lily?" he asked,
"James?" whispered Lily,
"Yeah," said James, sitting on Lily's bed, like Remus had done, "You OK?"
"I guess," said Lily, quietly,
"I'm sorry if I was a bit…forward earlier," said James,
"No, you weren't," said Lily,
"OK," said James, leaning up against the foot of Lily's bed,
"James?"
"Yeah?"
"Yes,"
"Yes, what?" asked James, confused,
"Yes, James. I do like you more than a friend"
"You do?"
" Yes. I think I love you,"
"Really?"
"Yeah," said Lily, sitting up and looking at James,
"Erm, I thought you hated me,"
"I never hated you, I just thought I did," explained Lily,
"Oh," said James, "I thought you did especially after saying you'd rather go out with the giant squid than me,"
"I was annoyed and stressed because of the OWLS,"
"Oh. Erm, would you really rather go out with the giant squid than me?" asked James,
"James, I'd rather go out with you," said Lily,
"So, would you go out with me?" asked James,
"Yes," said Lily, smiling, "I will go out with you, James."
James grinned. "Coming down to the feast with me? Moony and Padfoot have gone,"
"OK," said Lily, accepting James' hand.
Together they walked down to the Great Hall, hand in hand.
The Christmas feast was delicious and the Marauder's and Lily enjoyed it thoroughly. When James and Lily walked in hand in hand, Remus and Sirius whooped and made a great deal of noise.
"Black! Lupin! I realise it is Christmas, but do you have to make so much noise?" asked Professor McGonagall,
"Sorry, Professor, but James and Lily are finally going out!" said Sirius,
"Oh. Well, congratulations," said Professor McGonagall,
"Thanks," said James, smiling.
"Finally!" said Sirius, when Professor McGonagall had returned to the teachers table, "We thought you'd never go out!"
"Well we are!" said James, "It's taken nearly seven years but…"
Lily giggled and pretended to smack James. "Shut up horn head!"
Sirius looked delighted and surprised at the same time. "Lily, do you know why he's called horn head?"
"Yeah," said Lily, "Remus told me, when you two were having a snowball fight after Quidditch,"
"Oh," said James, in surprise, "You old dog!"
"No," said Remus, "It's Sirius that's the dog. I'm the…"
He held off realising Lily didn't know his secret. "Lily. You never asked why I'm called Moony,"
"Oh, so I didn't," said Lily, surprised, "But aren't you an animangus too?"
Remus gave a chuckle. "I wish I was!" he said, "No, I'm a… Lily, I'm a werewolf,"
"That explains a lot," said Lily,
"So, you still want to be my friend?" asked Remus,
"Of course. I wouldn't abandon a mate 'cause of something like that. Or I'd have never said yes to the horn head sitting next to me!"
"Oi!" said James, "Honestly, we've been going out ten minutes and you're already having a dig at me!"
"I'm sorry, honey," smirked Lily, with a glint in her eye that Sirius recognised. He laughed to himself. Lily was going to be a great prankster.
"Yeah, anyway, darling I turn into a stag in case you want to know," said James, grinning,
"Thanks for that useful piece of information, sweetie," said Lily, turning her attention to the headmaster who had just stood up,
"I would just like to say a few words. Firstly, my sincere congratulations to Mr James Potter and Miss Lily Evans for going out!" (Dumbledore twinkled in their direction, while they both went red with embarrassment and Remus and Sirius shook with laughter). "Also, I would just like to wish everybody present a Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas," replied the Great Hall,
"Now dig in!"
A small cheer echoed around the hall from the few people present as the tables magically filled themselves. Remus, Sirius, James and Lily ate their way through six courses and all had extras. As they left the Great Hall, they were all exceptionally full.
Back in the common room, Remus and Sirius settled down to play chess while James and Lily sat on the couch; Lily's head resting on James' lap, while he played with her hair. They chatted quietly for a while, occasionally yawning. Slowly, the other Gryffindors left for bed, leaving the foursome on their own.
"Goodness, it's eleven o'clock!" said Remus,
"So?" yawned Sirius, munching on a chocolate frog, "I'm not tired!"
"Hey Padfoot, coming with me to return my broom to the Quidditch lockers?" said Remus,
"Sure. Can we borrow your invisibility cloak?" asked Sirius to James,
"Yeah," said James, massaging Lily's shoulders, "It's in my trunk. Help yourself!"
Remus quickly went and got the invisibility cloak and he and Sirius left the common room quietly.
"Lily?" asked James, "You awake?"
"Just," yawned Lily,
"You know I'm so glad we're going out now," said James,
"Yes. I wonder how my friends will take it," said Lily,
"Yeah, saying over Christmas you happened to start going out with the boy you swore you'd never go out with," laughed James. Lily laughed too and then sighed.
"What's up, baby?" asked James,
"Nothing," said Lily, sitting up,
"Tell me, Lils," said James,
"It's just my sister again," said Lily,
"We'll sort it out, I promise," said James, putting his hands either side of Lily's face,
"OK," she whispered, snuggling into his chest. James put his arms around her again and looked around. Something caught his eye above him. He looked up and saw some mistletoe. He grinned, recognising it as Sirius' handiwork.
"Lily," he whispered, "Look up."
Lily obeyed and gasped when she saw the mistletoe. "Well, who are we to ignore tradition?" she whispered, tilting her face to James,
"If you're sure," he whispered, bending lower to her,
"I'm sure," she said, before James' lips met her own.
Their first kiss was sweet, pure and full. It was breathtaking for both of them and when they pulled apart, they smiled at one another.
"I've wanted to do that for a long time," confessed James,
"Me too," said Lily, placing her lips on James' again.
Suddenly the common room portrait opened and the pair parted but not before Sirius and Remus had seen. They both whooped.
"Awww, your first kiss," cooed Sirius,
"Second actually," said Lily,
"Go you!" said Remus, smiling, "I'm happy for you both!"
"Thanks, Moony;" said James, "Did you get caught?"
"No," said Sirius, "James Potter, you really think after six years of practice that we'd get caught?"
Everybody laughed. "Anyway, I'm going to bed, boys," said Lily, "I'm tired,"
"Alright, goodnight Lily," said Remus, "Sweet dreams,"
"I'm sure she will have," teased Sirius, "Night Lily,"
"Night, Remus, Sirius. Goodnight, James," said Lily,
"Night, love," said James, pulling Lily in for another kiss. After it was over, Lily stayed in James' arms for a minute,
"I feel so safe in your arms," said Lily,
"Well, they're always open for you, Lils," said James, softly, kissing the top of her head.
"Thanks," said Lily, slowly walking towards the girl's stairs and up them.
The boys followed suit and within ten minutes they were in bed too.
"Well congratulations, Prongs," said Remus, sleepily,
"Thanks, Moony," replied James,
"Yeah Prongs. You've been chasing after her for so long, you deserve it," said Sirius, "She's a babe,"
"I know," grinned James, "I'm so lucky to have her. She's the best Christmas present I've ever had,"
"Yeah," mumbled Remus, "Night anyway,"
"Night," muttered Sirius, "Merry Christmas,"
"Merry Christmas," whispered James. He lay staring at the shaft of moonlight and thinking about Lily. From the deep breathing on his left and right, he realised his best friends were fast asleep. However, he could not sleep.
Half an hour later, when James was still not asleep, he heard a low rumble of thunder and the pattering of rain. He swore under his breath. All the snow would be washed away. Suddenly, there came a flash of lightning, followed by a louder rumble of thunder.
'Damn, I'm never going to sleep now!' he thought, crossly to himself.
Amidst a loud rumble of thunder, he heard a small sound like the squeak of the door opening. James sat up and grabbed his wand.
All of a sudden, the hangings around his bed parted.
"Who's there?" he whispered, fiercely,
"James, it's me," said a quiet voice,
"Oh hey Lily. What's up," said James, relaxing,
"I'm scared," she whispered,
"Of the storm?" James asked,
"Yeah. I know it's babyish but I just don't like them. I'm normally okay but 'cause there's no-one in my dormitory, I'm just afraid more than normal," whimpered Lily,
"So you wanna stay in here with me?" asked James,
"Yeah, 'cause I feel safe in your arms," said Lily,
"OK. No problem. Get in, baby," he said, "You're freezing!"
"I know I was just so scared!" said Lily, whimpering as the thunder crashed again.
James pulled the duvet over the two of them and put his arms around Lily.
"You feeling any better?" he asked,
"Yes, thanks," she whispered, snuggling further into James' arms after turning to face him. James kissed her lightly on her lips.
"You're safe with me, Lily," he promised, "I love you,"
"I love you, too," she said, before closing her eyes and falling asleep. James studied her for a moment. She was gorgeous. He smiled before closing his eyes too.
There you go. All done! I really hope you enjoyed it and please review! Also, whatever your faith (or not) hope you've had a great Christmas and don't forget that Christmas isn't all about presents or whatnot. Remember that baby born many years ago to a virgin. Jesus was born today. xXx