Christmas comes but once a year for ev'ry girl and boy,
The laughter and the joy they find in each toy.
I'll tell you of a little boy who lives across the way;
This little feller's Christmas is just another day.

He's the little boy that Santa Claus forgot,
And goodness knows he didn't want a lot.
He sent a note to Santa for some soldiers and a drum;
It broke his little heart when he found Santa hadn't come.

In the street, he envies all those lucky boys,
Then wanders home to last year's broken toys.
I'm so sorry for that laddie;
He hasn't got a daddy,
The little boy that Santa Claus forgot.

Tommie Connor, Jimmy Leach and Michael Carr

*~*~*

"Petunia?" Lily asked quietly, lying in bed that night. She and her sister were sharing a bed, Vernon on the downstairs couch, and James in Petunia's old room.

"Lily, you're going to ask me what I think of James, and sweetheart, you really don't want to hear what I think. For one reason, my opinion isn't going to change yours, and two, it isn't a good one. I suggest you go to sleep."

Lily rolled over to see Petunia's back. "He was rather…unruly today, that's all. He isn't really very comfortable with most people, you just saw the bad side of him. He really is a wonderful guy."

"I'm sure he could charm your socks off. Or more."

"Petunia. Please. He is very nice once you get to know him. He's incredibly smart."

"I caught that, only intelligent people can reach that degree of sarcasm. I suppose you'll also tell me he loves furry bunnies."

"I think he's more of a woodland creature lover myself. He's very loyal."

"I bet. Not many people could handle him; he's got to stick to what he has."

"Why can't you be a little more optimistic?"

"I will be if he is. Honestly, Lily, he's your complete polar opposite. You love everyone. James, my God, he looks like he's someone who has seen a great many things in this world, and he doesn't particularly like any of it. That's what I think about him."

"So? He's had bad experiences in life, things neither of us has had to go through."

"What? Parents who wish you weren't there? Lily, I am adopted. Do you think that means that I was taken from the womb of some nice woman? No. I was four when I was adopted, I can remember that orphanage. I know what it's like to have nobody want you."

"But you were adopted soon. He's eighteen, nobody will ever adopt him. All he can do is hope to find somebody to have his own life with."

"I'm throwing you out the window in hopes to knock some sense into you if you think you can be that somebody," Petunia said, sounding dead serious.

"Of course I don't! That'd be silly, I'm only sixteen."

"Speaking of that, isn't he a little old for you?"

"He's only two years older than me; Vernon's three years older than you. I like James, Petunia. Just give him a chance, you might like him."

"I doubt it. I very highly doubt it. Why should I? He's been rude, mean, disagreeable, and generally a dark, scowling cloud since he got here."

"But he can be nice. He's also funny once you understand his sense of humor. And he's honest. Let's not forget he's good-looking, adorable, wouldn't you say?"

"If you like that type. Rich, isn't he?"

"From what I gather, though I have no first-hand knowledge." Lily sighed, realizing how bad this trip was actually going. She felt anger at James for not trying, but at the same time, she understood it was hard for him too. "Can't we please just have a giggly sister to sister conversation about my new, very cute, boyfriend? Please?"

Petunia gritted her teeth. "Fine, giggle and tell me about James."

"Concede that he's cute," Lily laughed and playfully tapped her on the back.

"Do I have to?"

"If we're going to have a giggly conversation, then yes."

"Christ. Alright, he's…good-looking."

"I love his hair, don't you?"

"Lily! I don't…ugggh. Fine. He has…interesting hair."

"I agree. What about his eyes?"

"I don't even know what color they are."

"Brown with lots of gold, and it makes you positively dizzy, like the kind they make statues out of."

"Lily, dear, that's call hazel."

"But they're brown and gold. He plays Quidditch, you know."

"You don't like Quidditch."

"I might once I actually watch it a bit. What about his hands, he-"

"AAAHHHH!"

"Petunia! Why can't you go along with this?"

"Why can't you go to sleep?"

"I'm too excited about Christmas. I'm going to go get a drink; I'll be back in a minute." Lily crawled out of bed and slipped her glasses on, purposely tugging the blankets off of Petunia to earn a growl. She quietly wandered down the stairs and was very surprised when she saw the dim glow of the Christmas tree lights from the living room. "Hmm, I thought Mum unplugged those."

"I hope you don't mind, I plugged them back in. I'm sorry."

Lily jumped at James's voice from the window. "I didn't see you there. It's not a problem as long as someone's still awake. We just wouldn't want the house to burn down. What are you still doing awake?"

"I don't go to sleep as early as you guys. I never fall asleep naturally before midnight, so I just stay awake; no point in wasting time."

"You're right." Lily went to sit beside him in an adjacent chair.

"Why are you still awake? I highly doubt you have angstful thoughts that keep you awake and eventually lead to deep, insightful brooding."

"I was just coming to get a drink, saw the lights, and here I am. Do you enjoy astronomy? I saw you looking at the stars."

"Nope, too much like Divination. I believe they're sister studies."

"I believe the comment was, 'I don't need to know what sort of unhappy peril awaits me in my future years of unending torture'."

"Umm, yes, pretty much. Let's not forget the pessimism."

"Like you have a problem with that."

"Are you mad at me?"

Lily raised her eyebrows at the question, even though no one could see it. "I was. I don't really think I am anymore, though. I'm more disappointed."

"Ahhh, the guilt trip."

"Yes, you are now among the privileged number of males who have been put through it. My family isn't seeing what I'm seeing when they're around you, but I know they will if you just relax a little bit. And please, no more eating small children jokes, they don't see the humor."

"I'm trying, but it doesn't help when you're sister is baring her teeth, your precious brother-in-law looks ready to jump on me, your mother looks ready to stab me with her butcher knife, and your dad just plain wants to beat the crap out of me. It's not a friendly situation."

"James."

"I know, I know. If it makes you feel better, I'll try."

"Thank you. Don't try reading without turning on the ceiling light, you'll ruin your eyes."

"Yes, Mum."

"Now mind me, Sweetums," Lily cooed, and patted his cheek mockingly. "Do you want something to drink while I'm in the kitchen?"

"Sure, why not?"

James followed her in the kitchen, but as she was heating the milk for hot chocolate, Lily noticed he drifted to the doorway where he could see the sparkling lights. After tossing in a few marshmallows, she handed him a cup and took a sip from her own glass of water.

"Why water?"

"Hot chocolate isn't a just before bed drink, water is. Anything that is stimulating isn't a just before bed drink, come to think of it. I'm going back upstairs now, g'night." Lily leaned to give him a hug, and smiled when she felt the roughness of his cheek against hers. "Don't forget to unplug those lights, and be careful and don't shock yourself."

*~*~*

"Lily?" James asked the next morning over waffles topped with some sort of apple sauce.

"Yeah?" she responded dully. The effort required to transport the waffle from her plate to her mouth was just about too much at eight on the morning of Christmas Eve. Technically, she shouldn't be up yet, but the sound of Christmas Carols from the kitchen had drawn her from bed.

"I would be interested in that snowball fight if it's still up for grabs?"

Lily paused, her fork sticking out of her mouth. She hastily removed it and swallowed her waffle, getting it caught just enough she had to cough. James was sitting across from her, chewing calmly and acting as if she were some sort clown show. "Seriously?"

"Yes."

Lily smiled, or more accurately, beamed like a Christmas tree. She had dressed in a dark green turtleneck with tan pants, green and red ribbons braided into her hair to top off the outfit. When she had walked in, James had spotted candy-cane striped socks that made suspiciously jingling sounds had bedecked her feet. "Let's go."

"I would actually prefer to finish eating first. I can't do something new on an empty stomach, not to mention these waffles are amazing. I'm going to kidnap your mother. Do you think you could get her to marry me?"

"Are you in the marrying market?" Annette asked, actually smiling at James as she entered her cooking domain.

"It depends if you're interested."

"In that case, no."

Lily was positively ready to shout hallelujahs at the top of her lungs. What more could she ask for? Her boyfriend and her mother were joking with each other, not yelling. Life was beautiful.

"I'm sorry, but I'm happily married."

"I suppose I'll have to move on, but it'll be hard."

"I'm sure it will be, considering Lily's sitting across from you."

James grinned, "That makes it doubly hard."

"Come on, Casanova; eat your waffles so we can have that snowball fight."

"Who's that?"

"Long story, even longer movie."

*~*~*

"So, James, have you ever had a snowball fight below?"

"Of course I have. What do you think I am?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"Probably not."

"Great, so I just need to round up a few people to participate so we can have teams." Lily said, tugging on her gloves.

"Why not just the two of us?"

"It's not fair. You play Quidditch, and I think you throw stuff in Quidditch."

"I don't throw stuff, and you have seniority with Christmas crap, so I'd say it's about even."

"Nope. I'll ask Petunia and Vernon and how about my neighbors? They have a couple kids my age. How's that?"

"Bad."

"I just knew you'd love it. I suppose we can have a decent fight with just the two of us. It might even be quite the cozy couplish activity."

"I don't think anything involving snow can be cozy, my dear. If you want to try though, I have no objections," James winked as he was shoved out the door.

"The snow doesn't look like it'll last long," Lily observed, linking hands with James during their walk.

"Nope. It's beginning to puddle already. My snowman will fall down soon. Then again, some kid probably has knocked it down already."

"Maybe not. You should probably patch it up today while we're at the park."

"I guess."

They walked comfortably for the few blocks to the park, but this time it only held two people having a private snowball fight. "Look, James, it's my neighbors! They're here after all."

James visibly grimaced and started coaxing her to the opposite end of the park. "Can we please not associate with other people? I don't really feel like meeting new people who will analyze me and act like I'm some sort of mutant because I'm not wearing red or green today."

"Alright." Lily paused in mid-wave to smile at James and go with him to an unoccupied clearing. "So are we going to have forts or no forts?"

"Er…no forts, I guess. I'm not an expert here, but I don't really think there's enough snow."

"Brilliant observation, you do me proud. I'll count to ten, and we'll commence, okay?"

"Yeah," James said even as she started counting. The second ten was uttered, snow was launched by both parties. The battle was waged until the snow supply was depleted, only having an inch or so to work with anyway. "I think our fun came to an end."

"Yeah. I'm sort of exhausted though. That was hard work," she sighed, sitting on the cold ground, then groaned when she realized she'd have mud on her pants.

"I could brush you off."

"And at the same time be arrested for public indecency. Your mind is unusually in the gutter today."

"It's all the fresh air, what can I say." James grinned evilly as he shoved one last handful of snow down the back of her sweater, "Now we're out of snow."

"No fair!" she shrieked.

"That's the best way to play."

"You idiot," Lily said, laughing as she got up. "I'll probably have to sing Christmas songs in retribution."

James was able to look perfectly terrified by the thought, something she wasn't so sure was an act. "The happiness might kill me."

"You are in an unusually good mood. What beam of goodness hit you last night?"

"I think my conscience caught up with my resting body and told me to stop ruining Christmas for you and your family. It also told me I probably should act like an ass if I want them to tolerate me for the remainder of the holidays."

"Your conscience is very smart, I admire it. Is there any particular Christmas activity you have a request for, or can we go home and settle down to house-building?"

"I don't know many Christmas things, but there is something I do know and like."

"Really? What? Whatever it is, I'll see if I can find it," Lily promised. This was too excellent, James actually volunteering for some sort of Christmas festivity. This was practically a request!

"Well, I have the understanding it is traditional for couples to kiss under mistletoe. Correct me if I'm wrong, I'll digress to your expertise."

"When you put it like that, I think we can find some mistletoe somewhere. And I hope your conscience is here for an extended visit."

"At least for the week."

"I'll have to enjoy it while it lasts, then." Lily leaned up to kiss him, regardless of the lack of mistletoe. Their entirely cute moment was ruined, though, when Lily sought payback in the form of a wad of snow down his shirt.

James looked entirely shocked. "I can't believe you just did that."

"Snow's a part of the Christmas traditions. Believe it. Besides, you did it to me first."

"Not while we were kissing. That wasn't fair."

"It's the best way to play, kiddo."

"You are bad at cynicism. It just doesn't work when you smile."

*~*~*

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no-"

"I got the point, it's wrong," James growled in frustration, ready to smash the rickety gingerbread construction.

"You're just not being patient with it." She grabbed his hands to keep him from doing exactly what he wanted to. "Come on, James, don't give up. You're doing a great job. I was just going to tell you that the yellow frosting was supposed to in the windows, not the white. Yellow, like a warm, toasty glow. Then white for snow."

"Oh, alright," James sighed. He was concentrating desperately on decorating a wall to assemble with the three Lily had done in the same amount of time.

"Relax, it's like drawing with edible supplies."

"How comforting."

"If you don't want to, then just stop it. I don't want you miserable over a silly gingerbread house."

"You don't think it's silly," he pointed out. "If you can do three of those, I can do one measly wall. Just you wait and see."

"I'm waiting, but I'm not seeing. Prove it."

"Fine. I will." James set to work, grimly putting touches of white frosting in the window sill.

"Don't smile, okay?" Lily leaned so she could see his face looking intently at the gingerbread.

"Okay."

"This isn't supposed to be fun, alright? Scowl and mutter on occasion."

"Shut up," he said with a small smile.

"Hey, I said don't smile."

"That is so corny."

"I know, but you're smiling. Now let's go for dimples, do you have dimples?"

"NO. I do not have dimples."

"Aww, come on, James."

James set his mouth stoically, as everyone tries to do during the 'don't smile' drill.

"I bet you have dimples, a good-looking guy like yourself, providing you actually smile."

"I don't have dimples."

"Prove it."

"I will not."

"Barty has dimples."

James's hand slipped, creating a long, white streak down the wall. Apparently the wind in Gingerbread Land had changed direction. Lily was amused and surprised at this little development. She hadn't taken James to be the jealous type; she had figured he was just joking around with his friends when his behavior slightly hinted of it. Apparently, if James was actually jealous, he had had excellent self-control.

"He likes Christmas, too."

He visibly set his jaw and wiped away the trail of frosting with a toothpick.

"Barty's birthday is actually the day after Christmas."

"Lily, please stop."

"What was that?"

"I think both have above average intelligence, so I don't need to repeat my request. You're acting like my mother, which is thoroughly revolting."

"I'm sorry," Lily said automatically, figuring if his mother did it, it wasn't something good, at least by his standards.

His hazel eyes darted to meet hers as he asked, "You were just kidding with me, right?"

"Yeah, I was." Lily grinned, "And it doesn't matter if you don't have dimples, you're still perfectly adorable."

"Gee, thanks, I feel so assured now."

"That's my job. Now hurry up and put the candy cane window frames on. We are on a schedule. We're having lunch with my mum's best friend. And when we get back, she'll start working on dinner for tomorrow, which means we might be able to snag something to eat."

"You aren't helping?"

"Not if we all want to eat tomorrow. I burn water."

"So do I. I think that means we'll be disqualified from kitchen-duty."

*~*~*

"James, why aren't you dressed yet?" Lily asked, sounding frustrated. She wasn't a bit happy to see her boyfriend still wearing the same clothes they had had a snowball fight in earlier that day.

"Why do we need to dress up to go to bed?" James couldn't tear himself away from the television. They were just fascinating.

"Because we're going to Midnight Mass, like I already told you three times."

"Why do we need to dress up to measure stuff at midnight? Can't it wait till morning? Besides, don't you need to be in bed so you can get up at the crack of dawn to savor Christmas?"

"Lily! Where did you find him at?" Mr. Evans asked, sounding completely appalled. "Did you just pick him up off the streets in order to scare us witless? It's working if you did. We thought you had good taste in men, but apparently not. Son, do you even understand the concept of organized religion, or are you one of those yahoos that dance around a campfire and chant songs to the cat goddess at Stonehenge on the solstice?"

"No, I prefer to summon the devil at my house in Cornwall on the first day of summer. Stonehenge is just a tourist load of crap. I'm a professional."

"James!" Lily hissed, hitting him in the back of the head. "He's joking, Dad, don't worry. He doesn't do any of that. He's an underage wizard just like Amos. Only a slight bit older. That's it. He doesn't do black magic. At all."

"How much older? I didn't know he was older than you. He's older than you?"

"Oh, God," Lily muttered, only imagining the ruination this would bring. "Oh, God."

"I'm eighteen, my birthday is September tenth. So I'm not technically an underage wizard, but I'm still unlicensed."

"He's much older, Lily."

"Dad! Let's, uh, just go to Mass. James, get dressed, now."

"Sure. What do I wear?"

"I'll just come pick them out. That way there'll be no screw-ups. You won't live through anymore screw-ups. Believe me." Lily dragged him upstairs to his borrowed room, and pushed him inside roughly. "Why did you say that to him? You've been so nice all day long, James! Why couldn't you have held out for just another hour? Why?"

Lily roughly opened the closet to find him suitable, match clothes, including a rather classy looking tie that made him frown.

"I'm not a nice person, contrary to your rehabilitating attempts. Get used to it."

"We can discuss this later. Just hurry before my mother kills you for making us late."

"Why?" Lily asked out loud as she left the room, slamming the door hard enough to make a mirror shudder.

"What do you see in him, Lily?" Vernon asked, meeting her in the hallway a minute or so later. She had just stood there, trying to understand James.

"I see someone who is hurting but doesn't know how to ask for help. He really is wonderful."

"To you, maybe, but not to the rest of us."

"I guess it's a good thing I'm dating him and not you."

"We might make a rather awkward couple, as charming as it sounds," the deceptively smooth comment could only come from James, already dressed. "I am ready to go."

"Good for you," Vernon snapped. To him, this James fellow seemed entirely too dark, too dangerous for Lily. "Robert and Nettie have already left, you two are riding with us. I suggest you explain the whole church thing to him."

They all started downstairs and met Petunia at the door, Vernon doing all the talking.

"It'll be just our luck that he does something entirely freaky in front of the priest. Won't that be quite the deal? And don't mess up my car."

"I'll try to control the rodents I house and any insane urges I have to destroy," James said dryly, starting to climb in the backseat with Lily, only to be jerked out by Vernon.

"I don't think so. Sit up there so we can keep an eye on you."

"Vernon, be nice; you don't need to treat him like one of Marge's dogs."

"I'm sure he doesn't need you to defend him, you've done enough already."

"I don't see any reason to snap at Lily. She's the only one not acting like an unhappy first year, and she hasn't done anything," James said mildly from the front seat.

"She invited you, that's enough, isn't it?"

"Alright, folks, let's all stop it right now," Lily said loudly. "Everyone be nice. Vernon, I'm enjoying James's company. James, do try to be civil to my family, I would be entirely grateful. Petunia, turn up the radio, I like this song."

"Yes, ma'am," was Petunia's response as she turned up John Lennon's Happy Christmas.

Somehow, by luck, or chance, or a miracle, the Evans family, the Dursleys, and James Potter all managed to get through the church service and back into the cars without hurting each other, public embarrassment, or a striking down by God.

As mentioned, a miracle took place.

So, at one o'clock in the morning, the Dursley car was driving around town, looking at Christmas lights, Lily directing them. Vernon had fallen asleep, Petunia was about to, but Lily and James were both wide-eyed; James from perpetual insomnia and Lily from excitement.

"It's officially Christmas!" Lily cried happily, and tapped James's shoulder to motion toward lights on their right.

"Do you want me to start dancing?" Petunia asked the same time James said, "Let the fun begin."

There was sarcasm from both parties.

*~*~*

"Goodnight, James, sleep well," Lily wished, kissing him outside his door.

"Are you going to tuck me in, too?"

"I would, but I don't think I'm allowed in your room," she laughed, and was able to smile in pure bliss. Nothing could ruin Christmas. Lily gave him an extra hug for good measure, feeling ready to burst with undiluted happiness and figuring James was someone who could use a surplus of hugs.

*~*~*

Lily awoke at roughly nine AM, and hit the floor at a dead skip. Christmas music started playing the second she could get a record on the player, and the drapes were wrenched open to allow the brisk glow of the sunlight parade in. The TV was switched on to a Christmas program marathon, and the tree was plugged in. Then, she sat on the couch in the family room and stared at the tree heaped with gifts for what seemed to be a painfully long time. Trying to restrain herself, Lily made a piece of burnt toast and munched slowly, running her hand along the couch arm. Finally, the restraint snapped, and she nudged Vernon awake on the Hide-A-Bed in the small office/spare room and knocked on her parents' bedroom door. Petunia was shaken awake, and then she tapped lightly on James's door.

Christmas was here.

*~*~*

Till had you I did't know
That I was missing you
Had to grow up and see the world
Through different shades of doubt
Give me one more chance to dream again
One more chance to feel again through your young heart
If only for one day let me try

I wanna see Christmas through your eyes
I want everything to be the way it used to be
Back to being a child again thinking the world was mine
Back to being a child again thinking the world was kind
I wanna see Christmas, Christmas through your eyes

I see the rain, you see the rainbow hiding in the clouds
Never afraid to let your love show, won't you show me how
Wanna learn how to believe again
Find the innocence in me again through your young heart
Help me find a way, help me try

I wanna see Christmas, I wanna see Christmas
I wanna see Christmas through your eyes.

Gloria Estefan and Diane Warren

*~*~*

A note from me, the author: Once again, I think I found some really great songs to go with the chapter. It's just a Christmas thing, don't worry. I couldn't decide between the two, they both reminded me so much of the situation. After analyzing James, I seriously get teary over the beginning song.

It sure was nice of fanfiction.net to finally let me upload, wasn't it?

AHHHH! Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is SO close!