A/N: Heeey! We got to the big 100 haha. Thanks guys, more after the chapter.

Disclaimer: JK Rowlings

Chapter 9 of After the Quidditch Game

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few weeks had passed since Regulus had died and Lily saw that Sirius was dealing with it well. She went to hang out with him, Remus, Peter and James and even though she could still see the pain deep down he was slowly healing. Lily's wounds from the death of her parents were healing as well along with the painful cut off from her sister.

Surprisingly Lily awoke one morning to see out the window that big fluffy snowflakes were falling onto the cold ground, covering all the evidence left over from the fall. Lily pulled on a big sweater and some fleecy socks. She put on her radio and sat down on the floor getting ready to stretch out her stressed limbs.

Lily brought her legs to the front and stretched them as far out as she could. Surprisingly the hardest time of the year for her would probably be the holiday season, Christmas. This was when she would feel that cold emptiness in her heart, yearning for things to be the same like when her parents were living and when Petunia didn't hate her. Wherever she was in her past whether it had been Beauxbatons or at this flat on Christmas Eve she always cried herself to sleep.

Lily raised her arms up like a dancer and she stretched them bringing them to each side. Yet this year it could be different. She had somewhere else to consider this year during the holidays. James had invited her to stay with him and Sirius at his parents a night ago at the Order meeting. Lily had told him she would think about it.

She wasn't really sure if she would go or not. She now realized that James and Sirius had become a very important part of her life. They understood her like no one did because they were both in the Order with her. Elissa and Julia were her girlfriends from Beauxbatons and they definitely replaced the sister she had lost.

Lily would have spent Christmas with Julia and Elissa but they were both going away. Elissa had a boyfriend in Greece and he had invited her home. Julia was actually spending her Christmas with her family as well in Wales. Julia had invited Lily home like a true friend would but Lily didn't want to be an inconvenience to her family. Julia didn't get home that often during the year so Lily thought this would be good for her friend.

So it came back to whether she should tell James if she would spend Christmas with him or not. I suppose it would be kind of fun with those two for Christmas, we could go sledding and bake cookies Lily thought giddily. Yes it would be nice to spend her holidays with those two seeing as she didn't have anything else to do.

Lily stood up happily and she went to her desk. She pulled out a piece of paper and a pen and wrote a note to James.

Dear James,

I want to tell you that I would very much like to come and spend holidays with you, your family and Sirius!

Why don't you and Sirius come to the café that I work at this evening after shifts okay? I'll put the instructions

on the back. See you then. Lily.

Lily folded the letter together and than gave the note to her lovebird Delia. Opening the window of her bedroom she let Delia fly out to go and deliver it to James. Lily yawned widely and than decided to jump in the shower, change into her work clothes and then go to work. Her shift that day was 11am until 4pm.

Lily skipped off to the shower and jumped into it. Twenty minutes later Lily stepped out of the steaming bathroom with a big towel wrapped around her head like a turban. Lily walked into her room and then slipped on her housecoat. Waving her wand at her soaking hair it went immediately dry. She pulled a comb through her silky locks as she looked in her closet for a bag.

She pulled out her navy bag and then waved her wand and a bunch of clothing, accessories and her hair things flew into the bag neatly. Lily heard a 'tap tap' on the window and she looked around to see her little lovebird Delia hovering there. Lily opened the wind and a gust of chilly blew into the room.

Lily slipped into her black skirt and white blouse then pulled her hair back into a ponytail. She picked up her bag and slung it on one shoulder as she grabbed a scarf. Lily slipped on her brown corduroy winter jacket and she walked out the door smiling happily at the snow that was falling freely.

She walked briskly down to where her café the Rose Bisbut was. Lily laughed out loud as the snowflakes fell onto her rosy cheeks. She pushed the door open to the café and waved to Josh who had just adorned a white kitchen apron looking incredibly cute with his boyish looks. He grinned at her and began wiping down the coffee pots before filling them up with hot water to boil.

Lily hung her coat on a hook in the back and placed her bag in the corner. She whistled cheerfully to the muggle Christmas music that was playing on the radio. There was nothing quite like the muggle Christmas carols and songs. Lily took out some pre made croissants, buns and tea biscuits that were ready to be cooked. She placed them inside the oven to bake in time for when the first customers would come in the later afternoon.

"So Lily what did you get me for Christmas?" Josh asked.

Lily scoffed loudly and said "Nothing!"

Josh clutched his heart as if Lily's response caused him internal pain. Lily blew a kiss to him and then went to serve the customers who had just walked in through the door. As Lily rang up orders, served coffee and took the baked good out of the oven she thought quite a bit. She really didn't have a clue of what to give James for Christmas.

James meant a lot to her at this point but she didn't really know what their relationship was. It seemed like they had something special or was that all just a hallucination to her? This guy was a pro Quidditch player so how could he be interested in Lily who … worked at a café? It didn't really make sense, but nothing at the moment made sense with all the murdering and destruction going on.

She was a bit nervous to meet his parents and such. Then again what did this mean, him introducing her to his parents and inviting her to spend Christmas with them? Maybe he did like her as a friend or something more. Though she could always just be his plaything as Elissa had said bluntly the day before. Lily gave a dejected sigh and then felt someone prodding her.

"Earth to Lilllly!" Josh said loudly in her ear.

Lily jerked out of her ponderous self and glared up at him. Josh grinned at Lily and then snuck into the back of the café. Lily handed the tea to the man who had just ordered. She looked at his watch and was shocked to see that it was 3:47 in the afternoon. That meant James and Sirius would be coming soon to pick her up.

Josh bounded back into the store with a small wrapped box. Lily raised her eyebrows at Josh as he dangled it in front of her.

"See I'm the only giving person around here geesh. You better like it!" Josh said playfully and he handed the box to Lily. Lily felt her heart soar at the thoughtfulness of her friend. He was one of her friends that she had met out of school since he wasn't a wizard. He didn't know this part about her because she had just met him last year when she had begun to work at Rose Bisbut.

Lily smiled at him and began to pull apart the colorful wrapping paper. Just when she had slipped the wrapping paper revealing a small square box Lily heard the door open and voices come from outside, debating about something.

"I don't think this is the place. Lily really works at some cramped tearoom for her side job? Well better her than me is all I'm saying." James voice said loudly and Lily rolled her eyes.

"This is the place Prongs! See that little rose on the door? Hullo, that's what Lily said to look out for." Sirius's voice floated in through the door proudly and they both stepped inside.

"Aren't you observant today Padfoot." James said dryly.

Lily giggled at the two of them with snow covering the tops of their heads. James grinned at her and Sirius ran at her and gave her an over excitable Sirius hug knocking the wind out of her.

"Nice to see you uhh too Sirius." Lily said in a wheezy voice. Sirius therefore patted her back a bit forcefully as if helping her along to catching her breath but it only made her begin to laugh hysterically.

"Umm you too Lily…" Sirius said in an amused voice and he slowly moved away from her.

After managing to get her breath Lily stood up straightly and saw with a confused expression that James was glaring at Josh?

"You guys this is my friend Josh. He works with me at this cramped tearoom me." Lily said glancing over at James with a smirk on her face. James had the decency to run a hand through his hair embarrassedly.

"Hey Lily whatchoo opening?" Sirius asked impatiently pointing to the box in her hand.

Lily realized that she hadn't opened the gift from Josh yet. "Oh Josh gave this me for the holidays." Lily said glancing over at James.

"Well open it up already. We've got to get going right James?" Sirius asked elbowing his sullen looking friend in the arm. James grunted noncommittally and looked out the window of the café. Lily rolled her eyes at his attitude and she opened the box. With a quiet gasp of pleasure she saw that it was a beautiful silver lily necklace.

"Yeah I did have some help from Aliysia with that one." Josh confessed smiling widely. Lily closed the box and squeezed his hand in a thank you.

"It's so pretty. Thank you Josh, oh and tell Aliysia I said thanks too. I better get going." Lily said jokingly as she placed the box in her bag and pulled on her jacket along with her warm scarf.

"No problem Lily." Josh said warmly and he stepped in the back of the store to clean up in the back.

Lily, Sirius and James stepped out of the store to the bustling streets of London with the snow falling down thickly. Lily looked over at James to see him looking forward with a frown on his face. Lily sighed hoping it wasn't what she thought he was going to be in a tetchy mood about. Sirius however was in a jubilant mood except the snow getting in his hair and the chilliness of it.

"Brrrrrrrr it's so cold! This snow is ruining my hair. Geez." Sirius said in an aggravated voice.

Lily snorted with laughter and pulled a hand through Sirius's wet locks.

"Ever heard of the article of clothing called a hat? Maybe that would help from getting your beeyootiful locks frizzy hm?"

Sirius looked at her with wide eyes. "Aw man why didn't I think about that?"

Lily laughed and she pushed him into the snow bank and then pulled James forward so she could talk to him. Lily heard a shout from Sirius and she laughed. She stared at James while they walked until he looked back at her with an aggravated expression.

"What?" He asked irritably.

"What's got your knickers in a knot?" Lily shot back at him with her arms folded in front of her.

"Well geez Lily you could've at least told me you had a boyfriend for the whole time we've known each other. I mean I know you probably would've had someone else before me but you didn't have to keep it concealed from me-"

James said in a rush but Lily placed a gloved hand over his mouth and looked at him with sparkling emerald eyes. James stopped speaking and looked at her with curious eyes.

Lily looked at his lips and felt the incredible urge to kiss him. Lily leaned into him tentatively and kissed him softly on the lips. She could almost feel the shock reverberate off his body but then he deepened the kiss and she could feel herself slowly melting away. Deciding she didn't want to be a muddle of emotions at his disposal Lily broke away from the kiss and then looked at him again.

"James, Josh and I are friends. Him and I met at the café. We're just really good friends is all." Lily said smiling with sudden shyness and she looked down.

Lily felt his hand come up under her chin and raise her heard to look at him. James searched her eyes to for something and then he smiled.

"After a kiss like that I can hardly think that you are his." James said and it seemed he was leaning in for another but all of a sudden a loud SMACK was heard and James fell forward slightly.

"Gotcha!" Sirius said and he laughed loudly. Lily snorted in spite of herself. Only Sirius would ruin a moment like that. James growled loudly and he set off to running after Sirius like a maniac. Lily laughed and she followed them down the road conjuring snowballs and throwing them at the two of them.

They ran down one of the roads. Surprisingly to the other two boys Lily was in the lead with them two closely behind her. Lily thanked her lucky stars that she had run at Beauxbatons. Running was one of those activities that Lily could do to take out her anger or nerves.

"She's beating us Prongs! How can that be possible!" Sirius said in a shocked voice to James.

"She won't beat us if she doesn't know where we're going." James said in a sneaky voice.

"Ohh yeah. She doesn't even know that your parents live on Elmsdales road." Sirius said in a giddy voice.

Lily began to laugh loudly at the idiocy of Sirius and she heard James let out an aggravated sigh. "Padfoot you idiot, you just told her where to go!"

"This is one race you boys aren't ever going to win." Lily said cheekily.

"Don't get too cocky now." James said in an amused voice and to Lily's surprise she felt herself scooped off the ground by Sirius. Lily let out a shriek and she saw that they were going up a driveway.

Her eyes rose at the immense house that was situated diagonally on the big lawn. Trees surrounded the house and spare land covered in snow was spread out around the house. The only other house near to them was down the road quite a bit.

Lily smiled knowing she would have a lot of fun with these guys. Her eyes widened at the beautiful open platform on the second floor that you could go and walk out on a balcony in the evening and look out at the stars. Sirius turned his head and whispered, "The Potters…have money." Lily nodded in agreement as they finally got to the door.

Sirius put her down and than Lily got a mischievous look and darted up to the door and touched it with her hand. "I won!" She said triumphantly. James rolled his eyes at her like he was humoring her. Sirius however said in a singsong voice, "Nu uh! The first person to hit James with a snowball wins."

Lily giggled loudly at the affronted look on James face as he whirled around at Sirius who was making a snowball. James then darted around the house before either of them could hit him with a snowball. The corners of Lily's mouth were twitching as she said to Sirius, "Lets go ambush him together. I know this great invisibility charm."

Sirius nodded eagerly so Lily pulled out her wand and flicked it at Sirius, then at her. The two of them sneaked quietly over to where James was walking around the house peering around. Lily almost laughed out loud at the concentrated look on his face and the way he reacted when he heard the slightest sound.

Sirius nudged her to take the invisibility charm off when they were about a meter away from him. Lily flicked her wand, then hurled the frozen snowball at him and she giggled as he whirled around and started chasing after them. Sirius ran around the other side of the house and Lily the other way.

Lily looked around than saw that he wasn't running after her anymore. She ran to the other side of the house and didn't see them anyplace. Where had they gone? Nothing could've happened to them right? Lily felt her stomach dip with nerves so she looked around frantically and shouted their names. No Sirius and James.

Lily walked back up to the hill but then screamed when she felt two men smash into her knocking the breath out of her lungs once again that day. It was of course, James and Sirius and they fell backwards into the snow. Lily hacked loudly trying to catch her breath.

"Ahahaha gotcha!" Sirius said in an annoying voice. Lily just shook her head at the two of them laughing around in the snow. Lily took two handfuls of snow and then shoved it down their backs smiling as she watched them jump up and start wiggling around.

Lily flounced off to the house and sat down on the wooden stairs as she waited for them. She finally saw the two of them trudge up the hill with irritated looks on their faces. Lily smiled sweetly at them as James unlocked the door with complicated wand jabbing.

"Brrrrrr it's f-f-f-reezing." Sirius said as he pushed through the door into the Potter's house. Lily nodded vigorously as she shivered violently.

"C'mon Lily, I'll show you where your room is so you can get out of those clothes." James said and he kicked off his wet shoes.

Sirius ran off up the big staircase in the middle of the room. Lily followed James into the room with her mouth dropping open. The house was huge! It was really open spaced, throughout the whole place. The big staircase was in the hallway and than down a bit further was what looked like a packed library. To Lily's right was the parlor and where a large fireplace was, waiting to be heated.

James walked up the stairs and Lily followed as she took in the extravagant paintings, some of them were moving and others not. There was a long hall covered with shiny wood and James stopped in front of a door.

"This room here is yours for your whole stay. My room is just a few doors down to the right and Sirius's room is right on your left two doors down." James smiled at her and she felt herself heat up inside at his cute wet and scraggly look.

"Thanks." Lily said and she pushed the door open revealing a vast room of soft yellow and blues. There was a large canopy bed in the middle and a dark cherry desk on the side. Lily placed her bag down on the floor and she moved over by the large impressive big bay window.

It was slowly getting dim outside so Lily decided she had better get in some decent clothes for when James parents got home. Lily pulled out her soggy ponytail and brushed through it. She waved her wand and it went dry again. Lily hummed softly as she slipped off her clothes. She stood in the middle of her room naked and she shivered.

Reaching down to get some clothes out of her bag Lily heard James voice and he pushed open the door saying, "Yeah Mum and Dad aren't coming so-" He stopped dead at her nakedness and Lily turned violent red as she covered herself with the long t shirt she had yanked out.

"JAMES GET OUT OF HERE!" She screeched loudly. James gulped and he swiftly closed the door. Lily slid down embarrassedly by the door and she heard Sirius laughing at James.

"Jeez Potter. A little anxious eh?" Sirius said and he ran down the hallway as James went to run after him.

Lily put her hand to her face, shaking her head. She slipped into the pair of warm cords and dark green cashmere sweater. Lily pulled on some socks and headed to the dining room. She was about to walk into the room when she felt a hand pull her back. Lily turned to see who pulled her and noted with a smile that it was James.

"Look Lily I didn't mean to do that. I wasn't purposely trying to look at you even though I can't say it was a bad sight or anything I ermm don't be mad. I honestly am not a perverted young man who invites chicks over and than walks in them getting undressed or any-" Yet another time that day Lily had to place a hand on his mouth to keep him from talking again.

"James chill out. It's okay. Lets go eat now okay? I'm starved." Lily hooked her arm in with his and pulled him in the dining room where Sirius was already seated at the oak table. On the table there was a steaming plate of turkey, dish of creamy potatoes, a cup of rich gravy and a large bowl of steamed vegetables.

Lily's stomach growled and she smiled as her and James sat down.

"Sirius did… you make this?" Lily asked waving a hand around at the delicious food.

"Are you kidding me? Nah James mum had it cooking in here already. I just put it on the table!" Sirius said grinning proudly.

Lily shook her head and then lowered her head in thanks for the food. They gave a prayer of grace and then dug into the food. James and Sirius got into a debate about Quidditch teams and whether England would get into the championships or as Sirius put it they would rocket down the bottom.

Lily ate the scrumptious dinner and listened to the two men speak about Quidditch. Lily wiped her mouth and then she quietly excused herself to go to the washroom. Lily went back upstairs and went inside the beautiful lavender colored bathroom. She looked at her reflection in the mirror as she washed her hands and stuck her tongue out. Real mature Evans, her inner self thought sarcastically.

Lily went down the hallway and being the nosy person she was she flicked James light on and peered into the room. It was a very large room and it seemed to be caught in a different age group. It showed that its occupant had grown up his first part of his years there and then left. There were childish snitch shaped pillows on his bed and big posters of quidditch teams he had fancied. Lily looked at the floor and saw his dirty clothes in a heap.

Lily rolled her eyes as she walked over to look at the shelf that held many interesting artifacts. There was a plaque from his first professional year of Quidditch. A few scarce medals hung from the hooks along with hats. Lily laughed as she saw a soft white teddy bear on the shelf. It seemed so out of place from the Quidditch junk. Lily picked it up and then felt a weird feeling pierce through her as she held the soft bear.

She put it back wondering why she had such an odd feeling then decided to go see what James and Sirius were doing. Lily walked out of his room and flicked the light off. Lily ran down the stairs and bumped into Sirius. She opened her mouth to say something but her shushed her and whispered, "Shh! Lets go hide from James and than jump out on him?"

Lily giggled at the thought of scaring the regal James Potter as Sirius pulled her hand to follow him. This vacation with the two men would certainly be interesting with silly games and stuff to do. This was definitely appreciated, just having a good free time and forgetting about Voldemort and his evil schemes.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: I am SO sorry that it took me so flippin long to get this chapter out. I guess you could blame it on school since we've had a bazillion projects and tests. But yep it's up. There was a few hints in here that you guys should keep in mind for the future..;)

Okay I really want to answer your guys questions when you review but I'm a sped when it comes to that. Should I just put my answers on the bottom of each chapters? But jeez thanks we got over 100 alright. I love you all! Anyways next chapter shouldn't take as long as this one did. Tootles.