A/N Okay so I'm cheating a little, but James' idea involves having them both together: so y'know I can actually FINISH the fic in time lol. Don't worry, it won't be a cop-out…at least I hope not.

"On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me… twelve drummers drumming… eleven pipers piping…"

"I can't believe we missed it." Sirius grumbled, looking at the incriminating photograph.

"Told you he was up to something." Grinned James smugly. "You can keep that copy if you'd like, there's loads more."

"Why so many copies then?"

"You'll see. Anyway, I have to give one to Lily. I'll see you later." James left his friends in a good mood. He could see the light at the end of the tunnel, with only two presents left to find, and it seemed Lily was beginning to warm up to him. Not only that but he'd just had a big cooked breakfast: one of the nicer ways to start the day.

He eventually found Lily in the library, she was reading over some of her Christmas homework to make sure she hadn't left anything out. The Library was eerily silent, with only a few students occupying the vast room. Any noise made was amplified a thousand-fold by the echoing walls, James couldn't help but draw attention to himself. Trying to look suave, but failing, he fell conspicuously over a chair, shouted out a profanity and got angrily shushed at by the librarian.

Lily both saw and heard his display and popped her head out from behind a bookshelf and beckoned him to where she was sitting.

"Were you even trying to be quiet?" She giggled, James mocked offence.

"I brought this for you. Your photos Milady." He bowed and handed her photographs to her. "And your ten leaping Lords." He smiled smugly as he handed the photograph to her. Her smile broadened as she recognised the leaping Lords as the members of the ministry. Her smile became even wider when James pointed out the culprit in the corner of the photograph.

"Malfoy. I should have known." She laughed.

"I have a feeling that we are going to win the house cup this year."

"How do you figure?"

"Well think about the amount of points Slytherin are going to lose for this one." James grinned slyly.

"Oh James you are wicked."

"You love me really." Lily blushed.

Later that day James took the incriminating photo to his Head of House, she took the evidence quite seriously and shooed James out of her room with orders to summon; "That troublesome Mister Malfoy."

James had no problem finding said troublesome student, all he had to do was follow the trail of cowering first years. He eventually found Malfoy outside enjoying the dry weather. He was sitting under a tree with his cronies, or as James referred to them: lapdogs.

He did have a slight problem trying to convince him that this summons was not a prank, they had done that to him a few months ago and it had proven to be rather embarrassing for him: having unceremoniously walked into a romantic tryst between their divination and arithmancy professors… who at the time were both male, and somewhat in the closet, both metaphorically and literally. Understandably he did not want to repeat that incident.

When he had managed to drag Malfoy to his fate James snuck away before Malfoy could turn his wrath upon him.

As James was sneaking away from Malfoy and down to the Great Hall he heard music coming from one of the classrooms. He peered his head inside and found, to his delight about thirty or so first years trying to play a Christmas song.

"So," He said sneaking up behind their conductor: he forgot that he was still in stealth mode. She jumped. "Sorry, what's the occasion?"

"We've been asked to recruit twelve drummers and eleven pipers to play a Christmas song to mark the end of the Christmas holidays at Dinner tomorrow. Apparently it's in honour of some muggle Christmas song." She shrugged.

"How convenient." James smiled, pleased by his luck.

"Excuse me?"

"Never mind. Do you suppose I can borrow them?"

"Be my guest, we aren't getting anywhere."

"I'll be right back I just need to get something." James hurried off to get his Christmas song book. When he returned he was quite out of breath.

"Do you think you could get them to play this one?" He asked sweetly pointing at the Twelve days of Christmas.

"We can give it a go. Thou, between you and me…" she whispered, "…they aren't up to much."

"Well it's the thought that counts right?"

"Funny, that's exactly what the headmaster said when he heard them."

"Found your next present for Lils then?" Sirius asked absentmindedly while beating Peter at a game of wizarding chess.

"Yeah, found her the last two actually. Pretty lucky day: got Malfoy in trouble and got Lily her last two Christmas presents."

"You Jammy thing." Sirius smiled. "Checkmate."

"Damn." Huffed Peter, it was the fourth time in a row that Sirius had beaten him.

"Seems that there is some Christmas magic in the air then." Commented Remus, who seemed completely unexcited by the idea of Christmas magic, and who was more interested in reading a book.

"Yes, well, I'm grateful for it that's for sure."

The Headmaster was sitting in his office, lazily reading the Daily Prophet and eating Sherbet Lemons when there came a brisk knock at his door. It was the band conductor.

"Sorry to interrupt you sir but I thought I'd let you know that the band is going to play a different song from the one you requested."

"Oh, what a shame I was so looking foreword to the song. I saw mammy kissing Santa Claus, was always a favourite of mine." He said, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Right. Well a nice young man suggested we might play 'The Twelve days of Christmas.' The band seem much more able to play that one."

"Oh good, sometimes you just need a bit of luck." He said smiling. The Conductor seemed very confused.

The following day Lily was quite anxious as to why she had not yet received her present from James. It was already nearing dinnertime and she hadn't seen him all day.

Unbeknownst to her he had spent the day with the band, listening to them rehearse, when he had first heard them he was worried that he was making a terrible mistake, but they did seem to be getting better as the day went on.

At dinnertime James positioned himself next to Lily. She was about to ask him where he had been all day when the band entered the Great Hall.

"For your enjoyment; Twelve drummers drumming and eleven pipers piping." Introduced the Headmaster with a smile in his voice and a twinkle in his eyes. He was rather good at a bit of Christmas magic, even if he did say so himself.

"Well done Jamesey-boy!" Laughed Sirius as the band began to play, he gave him a firm pat on the back.

"I cheated a little bit, I sort of found them together. So you only get the one instead of two. Besides I didn't really organise them to be…" James' rambling was cut off by something quite unexpected: Lily's lips pressing against his own. The surrounding Gryffindors let out an "aww" of approval as James embraced Lily. Sirius shouted: "About bloody time too!"

Yes, Dumbledore really was good at a bit of Christmas magic.

End.

A/n Now before anyone says anything, I'm not sure who the Headmaster was when Lily and James were in school, but I figure if Dumbledore was a well-respected teacher when Voldie was in school then he was probably made Headmaster by then right. Anyway, Hope you enjoyed the story. I may or may not do a follow-up one shot. So yes, I made it. Hurray! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all, I hope you all experience your own bit of Christmas Magic.

Heather xxx