Lily thumped back moments later with her fuzzy slippers and robe. James was longing on the couch in front of the roaring fire with a pile of something on the floor. It appeared to be several pounds of food. There were slices of bread and sticky marshmallows and other foods that would do well over a fire.

"James," began Lily as she climbed on beside him, "what are we doing?"

"I already told you," answered James, producing two toasting sticks from somewhere on his person. He began to idly wipe them clean on the sofa. "We are relaxing. You are getting a brilliant beginner's course in sitting around and jawing."

"And this is my Christmas gift?"

James paused.

"No, that is later. This is a prelude to that. Now watch me closely as I begin to relax." He handed her one of the long skewers. Lily took it quizzically.

"Are we eating the entire morning?"

"Would it bother you if we were? Don't answer that," he added hastily, adjusting his glasses. "We are relaxing. Noshing is an integral part of slacking off."

"I thought we were doing nothing?"

"Lily," James sighed, putting on a long-suffering expression. "Already you're worrying yourself too much. Just sit back and watch me." James plucked a piece of bread from a sack in the heap before them and inserted the bread onto the toasting stick. He held it lazily over the fire. "Combined, this bread and this stick make what we call toast. You do the same."

Lily giggled because she couldn't help it and reached over to take her own slice of bread.

"You have excellent form, Lily. A champion toaster."

"Stop teasing me. What happens now?"

"Well, normal people wait for the thing to toast, and then there is blackberry jam for afterwards. Until then, we will discuss nothing in particular."

Lily raised her thin eyebrows. James looked expectantly impish, like he had planned for the case of her possible mutiny.

"Really James?"

"Yep. Actually, we can talk about you if you'd like. Is that your real hair color?'

Lily laughed and said,

"Is this how we're spending the rest of the day?"

"Yes. That and plotting to end Filch's janitorial career."

"Mmm. Productive."

"Pass the jelly."

Lily remembered that Christmas day as being one of her best. She hardly noticed anyone else coming or going through the common room because the entire holiday was fun and fresh and very much full of James. They sang carols and drank butterbeer and told the very worst of jokes and stories. By lunchtime, Lily had jam on her fingers and James had marshmallow on his face and Lily couldn't imagine it any other way. Together, they wallowed away the rest of the day in the deep snow banks outside. Sirius and Greta joined them before dusk, their arrival ushering in the beginning of a fierce snowball fight. Boys against girls, the seventh years went at it hammer and tongs, and Lily discovered that Greta could almost be a friend. It was arm-in-arm that the four stumbled back to the Great Hall for Christmas dinner.

The tables of the Great Hall were dressed to their finest, piled high with chops and poultry and casseroles and potatoes and greens and puddings and all sorts of delicious sauces and dishes, more than Lily had ever seen at one Christmas table in her life at home. It seemed like Greta was new to this Hogwarts Christmas too; she and Lily chatted eagerly over their ham rolls about the innovations of a magical holiday since Greta had turned out to be muggleborn too.

At the end of the meal, Sirius and James sat back and belched loudly. While Greta snorted at their manners, Lily was content to dreamily rest in her seat. Perhaps one too many slices of cake, she mused thoughtfully, letting her mind wander. Her eyes rested on James and Sirius and she smiled. Although it might have been her sugar-saturated brain, Lily thought that they were maybe even looking more alike everyday. They certainly acted the same way and each had the same trick of speech. Although Lily found James to be preferable, Sirius could be a bit much sometimes—

"Ready for bed?" yawned Sirius, apparently as sated as Lily.

"Padfoot, you woke up late and now you're turning in early?" said James. Sirius raised his eyebrows rakishly, probably more for the benefit of Greta and Lily than of James.

"I figured we'd be up tonight, better get a move-on—"

"All right, all right," said James hastily, shooting a look at Lily. She rolled her eyes genially, showing that she didn't mind. James grinned.

"Excellent. But before we go, I think I've got something for Lily. A present, actually."

"Then I'll walk Greta back to her place. Night Lily."

"Bye Sirius." Greta and Sirius stood up, Greta with a swish of her long blonde hair and a friendly smile at Lily.

"Goodnight Lily, James. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you too, Greta," chimed Lily, and they caught each other's smile. I think I've just made a friend, she thought pleasantly. A warm hand covered her own and she looked up to see James.

"C'mon, Lil. I need to give you your gift." Lily smiled brightly in return (a smile which in James' opinion was brighter than the sparkling moon on the ceiling) and lazily got to her feet.

They trouped off to the portrait hole, wishing the Fat Lady a happy holiday (and "Pinecone crisp") before they went off to their respective rooms to get the gifts.

Lily found her heart to be hammering in her chest as she took up the red-wrapped parcel in her hands. What if he hated it? Or was indifferent? Or had one? Nonsense, she told herself briskly, marching back to the common room. He'll like it well enough. And if he doesn't, then he'll never let you know it.

James was waiting with bright eyes by the fireplace. Wordlessly, he hand her a green package as she exchanged hers. They looked at each other and smiled nervously at the color choice.

"You open yours," said James in a voice not so much like his own. Lily gently tore off the clumsily-prepared paper. Inside was a leather-bound book labeled "Hogwarts" in glistening gold letters. Lily flipped the brass clasps open and gasped.

It was a photo album of the grounds of Hogwarts. Photos covered page after page of the school, including moving pictures of classrooms and the Quidditch pitch and even the Whomping Willow thrashing mightily in a breeze. It was every aspect of Lily's second home, and James had thrown in a few cheeky pictures of himself as well as some of her friends, smiling and waving.

Lily felt a lump rising in her throat. This was so heartfelt and sincere, not just a quick change of gold. It was the most beautiful thing she had seen, besides the real Hogwarts herself. A warm wave melted Lily's heart right there. She clutched the book to her chest and raised her eyes to her boyfriend.

James smiled at her thankful expression, his worst fear done away with.

"I remember how you said you would miss Hogwarts and all, and I thought you could remember it by this…I know you love wizarding pictures, and I just hoped that—"

"This is wonderful," breathed Lily happily, trying not to let her eyes well with tears. "You shouldn't have put all this time—" James barked in laughter. She liked it. He sighed and let a great weight off of his chest.

"Hah. Better that than Ancient Runes."

"Oh James. You—" Lily set the book down and threw her arms around him, turning her face into his shoulder to control her sobs.

"I love it," she said, muffled into his blazer.

For a full second, James' stomach dropped. His vision blurred and the common room turned upside down before it righted itself. Loved—? It, it, he told himself. She loved it. Love…I must have misheard, that's all.

Meanwhile, Lily snuffled her last and pushed her gift into James' hands, taking a step back.

"Open it." He obeyed mechanically and tore open the paper, his mind still stunned. Lily didn't notice; she was wiping her eyes.

"It's not as nice as yours though…"

James shook his head vigorously and forced himself to focus. He held a brown, patched blanket, his blanket he realized. That he had tossed on Lily one full moon, it seemed like so long ago… Washed and pressed, it now had the unmistakably scent of Lily and sherbet lemon.

And another little something fell into his hands from inside the blanket. A penknife with many different attachments, an odd device with little hooks and attachments. This sparked the Marauder in James and he examined it quizzically.

"It's supposed to unlock any lock and undo any knot," explained Lily, eyes twinkling. "I'm sure you'll test the authenticity of my guarantee."

"Lily…" began James. The penknife slid easily between his fingers and flipped open with the least of touches. In his other hand was the blanket, soft and comforting.

"This is…well it's perfect. For me. Thank you so much."

"You like it?" asked Lily hesitantly. James grinned and pulled her to him.

"I love it," he echoed, gazing straight at her. Lily gulped: there was the most unusual look in James' eyes.

"Good," she managed. "I'm glad." James kissed her and it was a long time before they broke apart.

"Goodnight James," said Lily quietly, taking her album and vanishing into the darkness of the dormitory.

"Goodnight Lily," whispered James, who found that his heart beat had not quite settled yet.

Whew, finally! I really, really apologize for the tremendous delay, but school has been ridiculous lately. I was inspired by the Goblet of Fire to continue on, and I hope you liked the Christmas. I didn't want James to just spring for emeralds like he does in every story.

The dress was what will be Lily's bridesmaid's gown at Petunia's wedding, which her parents sent her so that she wouldn't have to buy it herself.

(kez192)

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO READ THIS AND REVIEWED! AND WHO WAITED SO PATIENTLY!