Author's Note,
This may be the longest chapter yet! And just to let everybody know I've decided to include the date and day at the top of a section every now and then just so you know where we are chronologically :) Also as to the Christmas gifts Lily and James exchange...I wasn't really sure how James had come into possession of them but I decided for the sake of having Lily give him something interesting to let them be from her. And as for James' gift to Lily, while it may be over the top it plays a role in parts of the story that come later.
By the way let me know what you think of how Lily and James' relationship is developing, too fast? too slow? Any suggestions or comments are welcome :)
Thanks to Tanja88, and shroomy-eyes for reviewing!
Hope you all enjoy and remember to Review!
Christmas Kisses
The rest of November seemed to fly by for the eight Gryffindor's and despite their best efforts to keep focused on classes it wasn't long before snow blanketed the ground and they had no choice but to partake in the world of white that was now the castle grounds.
Though she hadn't told Alice about it, Lily eventually had to accept the fact that her dream about her and James was destined to be a recurring one. She knew it was stupid but something inside her was fighting everything that dream made her feel with all it had. She just couldn't bring herself to admit that she was beginning to think of James in anything but mildly friendly terms for the time being. Yet she knew even that was beginning to become a lie. If she was honest with herself she would have to say that she and James were getting to be more that just mildly friendly with each other. He was truly becoming one of the people she felt were important to her…and Merlin help her so were Sirius, Remus and Peter (though, admittedly, Remus had been somewhat of a friend before she had decided to give James a chance that year).
She knew it was odd but something about the whole being friends with James thing still unnerved her a bit. Despite his being on such good behavior, and making her happy more often than not, she just couldn't shake the feeling of worry she had about letting herself become too attatched to him.
James for his part was glowing. He was finally getting to not only spend time with Lily but really let her get to know him as well. They had continued their Friday library meetings whenever possible and James had taken them as opportunities to let Lily see the side of him she hadn't in years prior. He gave her details about his life that he sometimes regretted later, often wondering what she thought of him for it. Yet, she seemed to appreciate his honesty and sometimes even told him a few things he didn't know about her. Things in his opinion were definitely looking up.
Before they all knew it the Christmas holiday was upon them and they found themselves boarding the train for home. Surprisingly, or perhaps not surprisingly if you knew the Marauders well enough, the four boys followed the girls into their compartment and the eight students soon found out just how 'close' friends could be.
Peter lounged on the floor while Remus, Dorcas and Alice occupied one bench. James, Sirius and Marlene occupied the other while Lily sat on the floor on the opposite side of the compartment from Peter.
"Are you sure you don't want to sit up here?" James asked Lily for what had to be the fifth time.
"Positive." She answered with a smile.
"So what are everybody's plans for break?" Alice asked.
It was then revealed that everyone was pretty much spending the holiday at home with their parents other than Sirius who would of course be spending his with James' family.
"So is your sister coming home or what Lils?" Dorcas questioned.
Lily looked up at her and decided not to comment on how close Dorcas sat next to Remus despite the fact that there was enough room for them to spread out a little.
"I'm sure she will. She's been bragging to mum about that boyfriend of hers; you know the one I told you about. Personally I don't know what she sees in him, but Pet and I haven't seen things similarly for a long while now."
Everyone knew how Lily's sister viewed her magical abilities and about their difficulties getting along.
"I only hope one day we can be as close as we once were you know?" Lily added trying to be positive.
"What about you Marlene is the whole brood going to be there?" Alice smirked.
Marlene had three little sisters and two little brothers, only the oldest of which Alasdair was old enough to attend Hogwarts and he was a second year.
"Of course," Marlene replied. "I don't know what my mum was thinking. Having me and then waiting four years before my brother and then deciding to have four more in quick succession. The only thing I can think of is that once she realized how wonderful a child I was she decided to have another, but unfortunately found out, after trying five times, that you just can't replicate this kind of perfection."
"She's like my cousin Molly." Alice put in. "Gideon's older sister. She's already got three little one's with Arthur Weasley and Gideon reckons they aren't likely to stop any time soon."
They spent the remainder of the train ride discussing family and plans to owl. Frank dropped by near the end to wish everyone a good holiday but they could all tell he was really there for Alice, who was positively beaming by the time Frank disappered from view. When the train rolled to a stop in Kings Cross they all gathered their things up and began to file out. Being the closest to the window Lily and James were the last two to leave and before she could exit the compartment James grabbed her wrist stopping her.
"I wanted to give you something." He said sounding shy and somewhat nervous. "It's not a big deal or anything just a Christmas present."
"Am I allowed to open it now or do I have to wait for Christmas?"
She watched as James fished out a small box from his pocket. It was wrapped in white paper and tied with an emerald ribbon. He placed it on her outstretched palm gently and with a smile.
"You have to wait for Christmas of course."
As Lily looked into his eyes she got the whooshing sensation that she had gotten long ago at this very same train station at the beginning of the term. She swallowed suddenly feeling hot and nervous.
"I didn't get you anything though." She said her voice sounding odd.
"That's okay. I didn't expect anything." He replied his voice coming out thickly.
What is the matter with us? Lily thought wildly.
"Thankyou James." She said finally as the silence had stretched out heavily between them.
"Your welcome Lily."
****
Thursday, December 23
It was two days before Christmas and Lily had decided to venture into Diagon Alley to do some last minute shopping for her friends. She had chosen to come alone as she would only be there for a few hours at most. She had decided that very morning that it didn't sit well with her that James had given her a present, even now it sat perfectly wrapped and looking far too enticing under her tree, and she had not given him one. So she set off looking for something small to go along with Marlene's gift and something fairly good to give to James.
She passed store after store after finding Marlene's gift but couldn't find what she was looking for until she remembered something she had seen in an old wizarding antique shop, it had been pretty expensive but she counted out her money and realized she could manage it, but barely. The old crone in the store wrapped it up prettily for her and even gave her a small card upon which she could write a message, which she decided on a whim to do before sealing it and putting it in a bag along with the wrapped box. She thanked the woman and then made her way out onto the street and headed for the bookstore.
As she was walking out without having bought anything as her savings had been used up on the last part of Marlene's gift and the one she had gotten James, she wasn't looking where she was going and she collided with the customer about to make his way into the shop.
"Oh I'm terribly sorry I wasn't…" she faltered, grabbing onto the strong pair of arms that caught her, as she looked up into a startlingly familiar face.
"No problem at all." He replied grinning widely.
Recognition seemed to dawn in his eyes as he looked pointedly at her red hair and green eyes and his look turned positively mischievous, leaving Lily without a doubt of who he was.
She stared at him feeling overwhelmed.
"I…that is to say you…wow…huh.." She floundered. It was like they were different aged twins or something.
The man laughed at her confusion just as a voice called loudly.
"Dad you'll never believe the new arm guards they had in Quality Quidditch Supplies I…" James trailed off as he saw who his father was standing next to.
"Lily?!" He said sounding dumbstruck. "I…what are you doing with my dad?"
Lily jumped out of James' fathers hold quickly and shrugged, her stomach doing a weird sort of fluttering dance, similar to how it had felt twice before at the train station, at the sight of James.
"I sort of ran into him on my way out of the store."
James looked up to see the sign hanging above the establishment. He looked back at her with a grin.
"Find anything good?"
Lily smiled in return. She loved that he was just as avid a reader as she was.
"As a matter of fact I did. Morrison has out a new one that I've been waiting for for ages."
"I know the one. I've been checking back here by owl every couple weeks but they hadn't received it yet."
"Well it's here now." She answered back wistfully, shifting the two bags she carried from the arm on which she carried her purse to the other one.
"Here let me get those." James offered stepping forward.
"Oh that's alright, they aren't at all heavy, and I was just headed out anyway."
James let his arms fall to his sides awkwardly and then ran a hand through his hair.
His father took that moment to ask politely.
"Are you meeting your mother or father somewhere?"
Lily turned to him still feeling strange at how closely father and son resembled one another. She was also floored by the fact that Jason Potter while nearly the exact same height as his son, was an absolutely gorgeous man. He resembled James so closely and still looked so young yet he had gained a more mature look to his features with age and his build was, well she hated to admit it but it was nothing short of remarkable. She remembered that he was an auror and figured that must explain his physique as most of them were in top condition. Without a doubt James' father was stunningly handsome, much like his son. The only physical difference apart from his father being more solid, appeared to be their eye color. James' were brown while his father's were blue.
"Oh…um no sir, actually I came alone. My parents, well they are both muggles and my sister, who is also a muggle, is visiting and I'm sorry to admit I was looking for a chance to get out of the house to…well to be honest to avoid her for a few hours, as awful as that sounds, and it's usually easier if I come alone anyway. You see if I bring my mum she wants to spend the whole day in the menagerie or the owl emporium looking at the animals and if I bring my dad he wants to either buy every magical item in sight or browse the quidditch shop for hours, despite his limited knowledge of the sport."
Mr. Potter smiled at her explanation and then frowned slightly.
"So you mean to say you aren't here with friends or parents? No one is here to see that you make it home alright?"
Lily shook her head shifting her weight from foot to foot as she sometimes did when nervous.
"In these times I really don't feel comfortable letting a friend of James' head home alone. I would really rather James and I escort you there."
James nodded his agreement adding hurriedly, "It's no trouble Lily really and he's right, with everything that's been going on in the wizarding world lately it really isn't a good idea for you to be out on your own."
Lily was about to protest and explain that she truly didn't live too far away, it was only a short train ride and a short walk, when James father added seriously,
"I'm not taking no for an answer so it looks like you get to spend the next hour with James and I as we finish our shopping, if that fits your schedule that is, and then we shall escort you back home."
Lily opened her mouth to argue once more but she was cut off again as James grabbed her hand and tugged her back toward the bookshop.
"Come on and show me where that new book is."
Lily soon found herself thoroughly enjoying the time she spent with James and his father. It turned out Jason was just as much of a reader as his son. After they were through in the bookstore they headed back to the quidditch store so James could show his father the arm guards he had been admiring and then it was on to the Leaky Cauldron where James' father insisted on buying them a late lunch before they took Lily home.
****
When Lily excused herself to use the loo Jason used the opportunity to slug his son firmly on the shoulder.
"Way to go James. Man is she beautiful. All this time you've been raving about her I never realized it all might actually be true."
James smiled at his dad, rubbing his bruised arm lightly, thankful that his father had finally met the goddess he'd been mooning over for years. And he had to admit spending the afternoon with her, even with his father in tow had been extremely enjoyable.
"I told you she was wonderful. Now you see why I've been pining like an idiot for the longest time."
Jason Potter nodded, "Well worth the idiocy son."
"By the way I wanted to thank you." James added seriously. "For not teasing me in front of her or making it weird today that is."
While they had always been close, and he knew his dad wouldn't deliberately sabotage his chances with Lily, James also knew his dad sometimes possessed a sense of humor similar to Sirius' and that all too often it led to his teasing James in public.
"No problem kiddo." His dad replied lifting his butterbeer to his lips and taking a long swallow. "Maybe if I'd met her sooner I wouldn't have given you such a hard time at home."
"Yeah right." James scoffed as his Dad winked at him cheekily.
"Now I see why you've been waiting to get laid all this time…" Jason remarked teasingly and James flushed beet red.
"Merlin Dad could we not bring that up?"
Jason was still laughing when Lily came back and took her seat.
"Did I miss something?" She asked confused.
Jason smirked impishly and answered, "Not at all. So have we decided what we want to eat?"
As they were finishing their meal, a rather good one in everyone's opinion, a man came to speak with James' dad. He was somewhere in his forties with brown hair and light blue eyes. His demeanor was rather haughty and he wore fancy looking robes that looked out of place in the small pub.
"Potter I'd been meaning to have a word with you." The man stated firmly steering himself into the empty seat next to Jason.
"What about Lionel?"
"Well as you know our two families have been in contact for ages and, being such upstanding members of wizarding society, I have been approached by Madam LeVrallin who would like to know if we would speak on behalf of her social society about the issues we've been having as of late. She would be more than pleased if you would agree and I've said I'm more than willing if you are."
"I'm not sure I understand. Madam LeVrallin chairs the Society for the Advancement of Magical Medicine, I'm not sure how anything I have to say is related." Jason replied.
"She wants us to address the growing issue of the war, if that is what this situation comes to, and the measures we wizards can take to help ourselves be protected in the event of an emergency. As you are an auror and I am a ministry official she would like us both to provide our opinion on what steps would best be taken in such a situation. She herself will describe the medical precautions."
"When is this to take place?"
"Next Thursday in the meeting hall in St. Mungos."
"I'll have to check with my wife but I'm sure I could fit that in." Jason replied with a nod.
"Splendid." Lionel remarked beaming widely, his gaze then shifted to James. "Is this your son then? My I haven't seen him in quite some time. He's the spitting image of you old fellow."
Jason grinned, "So I've been told."
James dipped his head at the man in acknowledgement, he remembered him from a few years before when they had been introduced at some stuffy ministry party his parents had dragged him to, he wasn't overly fond of the bloke. Lionel's gaze moved on to Lily.
"And this here, is this your girlfriend then James?"
"This is James' friend Lily from school." Jason supplied his smile genuine.
"Ah pleasure to meet you my dear. What surname do you hold girl?"
Lily smiled, "Evans sir."
The man nodded. "Related to Felrik Evans are you? Good wizard he is."
She shook her head. "No sir. I'm muggleborn you see."
James held his breath knowing suddenly how the man was going to react.
Lionel froze. There was no other way to describe it. Once second he was a jumble of movement waiving his hands and shifting around and shaking his head this way and that and the next he was still as a stone.
He stared at Lily as if he weren't sure what to make of her, as if she had suddenly sprouted blue horns on the top of her head. James watched as Lily blushed crimson but managed to hold his gaze.
"Well that's…hmmm." Lionel hedged. "And you're a friend of James' you say?"
Lily frowned as he asked the question as if he no longer believed such a thing could be possible, despite the fact that she was indeed at lunch with James and his father. James knew she had been treated differently before because she was muggleborn and he knew that in some ways she was used to the prejudices of others but he felt responsible for the way she was being treated while in his and his father's company.
"That's right." James broke in firmly. "She's my friend. A very close friend as a matter of fact."
Lionel shifted his attention to James who sat across from him.
"Really? Well I daresay I never would have thought, well I mean you are a Potter after all it would be out of the question in regards to…I mean it is rather odd is it not, but then again there are all sorts of strange fashions flitting about these days. I suppose befriending someone less fortunate isn't so wondrously far-fetched." Lionel finally concluded.
James face was a mask of anger as he looked at the man. He couldn't believe that he had the nerve to practically insult Lily as she was sitting in front of him. He had always known that if by some miracle she were to one day spend time with him, or Godric help him become his girlfriend, that there would be more than a few individuals who would deem it their right to voice an opinion on the matter. He just hadn't realized that such an occurrence would cause him to feel so overwhelmingly protective and on the defensive.
It was Lily who dragged his attention away from scowling at the man as she rose from the table as calmly as she could.
"If you would all excuse me please." Her voice was shaky but the words were clear as day.
"Lily please I…" James began standing suddenly.
"It's alright James. I'll wait for you outside okay." She answered back softly, gripping his arm in reassurance as she moved past him to head for the door. As she dissappeared James heard her mutter quietly, "The 'less fortunate' needs some air."
"Well I daresay what a strange creature. It seems something must have upset her." Lionel muttered.
James turned back to the table and looked at his father to judge his reaction. Jason looked every bit as irritated as his son.
"It's apparent that what upset her was your treating her as if she were beneath you, as if she weren't normal." James fumed trying to keep his voice as level as possible to avoid drawing unwanted attention. "I'll have you know that I'm dead set on marrying that girl someday and by then you had better have learned how to not hurt her feelings or so help me I'll make you sorry. Dad, if you'll excuse me I'll be outside."
As James stalked off his father grinned in approval.
"Do you approve of this Jason? Of your son wanting to marry that muggle chit?"
Jason turned to the other man still grinning widely, "Wholeheartedly. I believe my son has made a fine choice in that young woman, even if she is unaware of it yet, and I'll be more than happy to welcome her into the Potter family with open arms. Now if we are finished here I'll pay my tab and be on my way,"
As he stood and strolled away the stricken look was still planted firmly on Lionel's face.
***
James found Lily outside leaning against the brick wall of the building to the right of the Leaky Cauldron. He walked up to her feeling embarrassed and outraged and more sorry than he could say and he realized that if he was feeling all of that he couldn't imagine what Lily must be feeling.
She turned to look at him as he came closer but before he could say anything she put her hand over his mouth.
"Before you even begin to start apologizing, and I know you were I can tell by that look on your face, I want you to know it doesn't matter. I don't care what some old barmy wizard thinks of me; it was just difficult is all. I mean that's the first time I've heard an actual adult behave as if I were a lesser person but I'm fine now, really. And I want to tell you thankyou for sticking up for me in there because I know you did. It means a lot to me that you value my friendship so much and that you don't care about how good or bad my blood is. I think the world of you for that. And I wanted to say thankyou for today. I had a great time with you and your dad and I appreciate you both looking out for me. What I'm trying to say is you're a great friend James, you really are." She smiled at him and let the words hang between them for a moment then said softly. "Okay I'm going to let you go now."
James couldn't explain later what came over him but at that moment looking at Lily as she smiled up at him, after she'd called him her friend, her green eyes sparkling, he found he couldn't stop himself from leaning down, cupping her jaw, and capturing her lips with his. It wasn't a lusting kiss or an overly physical one and it certainly wasn't lengthy, but it rocked James to his toes just the same. As he moved his lips over hers, admiring their fullness and softness, he knew without a doubt that his heart hadn't led him astray. This was exactly where he was meant to be and who he was meant to be with.
Exiting the Leaky Cauldron Jason looked to his right turned around and walked back inside. His cheeks protested he was smiling so widely but he couldn't help it.
"Forget something Mr. Potter?" The barkeep asked him curiously.
"Not at all." He grinned. "I'm just giving my son some privacy. He's outside kissing the girl of his dreams, I wouldn't want to interrupt that."
The man smiled back at him, "Certainly not sir."
****
As she walked up the front lane of her house Lily was more than slightly aware of James standing next to her. Every one of her senses was still on high alert from the kiss before.
When James had pulled away and slowly dropped his hand neither of them had managed to say anything yet she knew that somehow he had managed to show her, in that one simple yet oh-so-complicated kiss, exactly what it was that he had been waiting for for the past few years. Their kiss had been so much more than she had ever experienced and yet it hadn't even been more than the tender meeting of their lips. The strength of it, and the force behind it scared the daylights out of her.
When his father had come back outside he had found them still staring at one another and still just as silent. The ride on the train (which despite the awkwardness James and his father seemed to enjoy) to her stop had then flown by, even with James' father making a lot of polite conversation, and now suddenly she was standing in front of her door looking at James, whose hands were shoved awkwardly into his pockets, as if she weren't sure of anything anymore. She was truly thankful his dad had chosen to wait for him up the road to allow them to say their goodbyes.
Finally James sighed, "Look Lily, I'm sorry if what I did has upset you and I'm even sorrier if it has made things weird between us. But I'm not sorry I did it because honestly I don't know how or why I did it right then anyway. I just want you to know that no matter what you think about it or how you react to it I'm here and… I'm your friend."
His words seemed to pull Lily out of her trance. After a moment she managed to grin shakily at him as she reached into the smaller of her two bags.
"Here." She said holding out his still beautifully wrapped gift, the card lying flat against the top. "It's for you. I bought it today before I ran into your dad. I was going to owl it to you but…" she shrugged, "you might as well take it home with you."
"I told you I didn't expect anything in return." He said taking the small gift in an almost reverent manner.
"Well I can't return it so you'll have to take it." She lied. "Besides I'm pretty damn positive you are going to love it so…just thank me when you realize how absolutely wonderful I am."
"I already know how absolutely wonderful you are." He replied his cheeks turning pink. "And I'm sure I'll love it so thankyou."
Lily nodded blushing slightly.
"Well then, I guess I'll see you at the start of term. That is if I don't go slamming into your dad again."
James nodded. "See you then."
He watched as she opened her door and walked into her house closing it softly behind her. Then he calmly made his way back down the walk and all the way down the lane to where his father was standing before he lost his composure.
He grabbed his fathers shoulder in a vice-like grip and asked dazedly,
"Am I dreaming, I have to be right? I mean I honest to Gryffindor think I kissed Lily Evans today and I'm still standing here in one piece. I haven't been slapped, kicked, cursed, dismembered, hexed or punched and I…Oh sweet Merlin Dad I kissed Lily Evans didn't I?"
Jason was laughing uncontrollably as he answered his son.
"You damn well did James. You damn well did."
***
Christmas day in the Potter house was a lively affair with James and Sirius, who had decided to attend the Potter's Christmas instead of his own family's for the third year in a row, sitting on the floor tearing into their presents with vigor and showing them off to each other. Jason and Charlotte watched them with amusement from the couch as the mound of wrapping paper grew higher and higher.
"Oh Merlin Padfoot look at this!" James shouted suddenly, holding up the brand new arm guards he had been admiring only a few days before. "Mom, Dad wow, I really don't know what to say."
Charlotte leaned forward kissing James on the top of his head, "Well your father insisted that you couldn't take your eyes off them at first so we decided one more present wouldn't hurt."
Sirius gasped as he opened his next gift and found similar items but made with a different material designed specifically for a beater.
"I…I can't accept these." He breathed handling them lovingly.
"Of course you can. They are a gift from us to you and it would hurt our feelings if you decided not to accept them." Jason supplied. "Now try them on lets make sure they fit."
Sirius and James both did so quickly grinning at each other like mad as they showed them off. James was still admiring his when Sirius tossed him a small flat present.
"Looks like that's the last of it Prongs." He said admiring his huge stack of gifts.
James stared at the gift, remembering that he had placed it under the tree as soon as he had come home from dropping Lily off. He pulled the card from the top and stared at it in wonder for a moment before tearing it open and reading her message.
Dear James,
Happy Christmas! I saw these while shopping and I thought of you. Try not to get into too much trouble with them and don't let me regret getting them for you. There are instructions on how they work taped to the bottom one.
Hope your holiday is going splendidly.
Lily
"For Godric's sake Prongs are you going to open it or just keep staring at the card? Who is it from anyway?"
James looked up realizing his family was waiting for him to open his last present.
"It's from Lily." He answered simply, hoping his voice didn't give away all the nervousness he was feeling.
Sirius grinned like a madman, while Charlotte and Jason traded meaningful looks.
"You got a Christmas gift from Lily?" Sirius chortled.
James nodded and began to carefully tear away the paper. Underneath he found two mirrors identical in shape and size.
"Maybe she thinks you need to spend more time on your appearance. I mean your hair is pretty atrocious you know." Sirius chuckled.
James shook his head, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"She said there were instructions…ah ha! Here they are. It says that these are enchanted mirrors. If you speak the name of the holder of the other mirror into the mirror you hold they will appear and you can talk with them no matter how far the distance."
"No way!" Sirius remarked his eyes already alight with endless possibilities. "Come on lets try them out. I'll go into the next room with one and you keep the other. When I get there I'll say your name and we'll see how this goes."
James nodded handing the top mirror over to Sirius. After his friend disappeared James waited and a moment later his mirror began to glow a bright blue before Sirius' voice was heard saying 'James'.
James looked down into the mirror and found himself staring at the face of his best friend.
"Merlin Padfoot they work!" He said excitedly.
"Damn right they do…Prongs can you imagine the uses for these things?"
"I know."
"I'm coming back. See you in a second." Sirius face disappeared as he lowered his mirror.
"Can you believe this?" James said turning to face his parents.
Jason grinned widely, understanding his son's overt excitement at the gift he'd been given.
"It is pretty great son. I can't believe Lily got them for you. I've been trying to get the auror department to invest in something like this for years but there has never been enough need or funding." His father replied.
"That girl must like you James." Charlotte added. "From what I hear those mirrors don't come cheap. I don't think they even make them anymore because there weren't many wizards buying them when they did. We're old fashioned I supposed and choose to stick to our owling. She had to have picked them up in an antique shop or something similar."
"Really?" James asked sounding worried that Lily had gone to so much trouble for his present.
"Who cares mate? The girl of your dreams, the one you imagine was yours only in your wildest most elaborate fantasies...
"Geez Padfoot."
"… just got us the most amazing present ever for Christmas, why bother with the particulars?" Sirius exclaimed coming back and sitting down in his original seat on the floor.
"I suppose you're right."
"Of course I'm right. Maybe all your hard work is paying off." Sirius replied nudging James with his elbow and winking at him cheekily.
James sighed but smiled shyly, "I guess now I can only hope she likes my present half as much as I like hers."
"Hey you never did tell me what you got her." Sirius prodded eyeing his best friend with interest.
James blushed slightly, knowing that once Sirius knew there would be no end to his amusement at James' expense.
"I'm sure you'll see it sooner or later." He replied feigning nonchalance.
"For the love of Helga Hufflepuff Prongs tell me you didn't. Please tell me you didn't." Sirius groaned.
James looked at him still somewhat flushed, "I would tell you that mate but you made me promise a long time ago never to lie to you."
***
Lily had been staring at the open box on her bed for at least a few hours. When James had given her the gift she had never expected to find something so… well extravagant was the only word she could think of. Her mother had gasped at the sight of it while they were opening their gifts and had immediately wanted to see it herself, but Lily hadn't been able to let the box out of reach much less take the item that was in it out.
She tried to look away from it once more but couldn't bring herself to keep her eyes from snapping right back to it after only a few seconds.
'For Merlin's sake Evans it's only a necklace." She scolded herself firmly.
But in reality it wasn't it was so very much more than that.
Sitting in the box, looking as innocent as could be imaginable, was a silver necklace. Hanging from the chain was a charm in the shape of a lily. What made it all the more remarkable though was that the lily's petals were made from intricately cut diamonds, who were tinged with the slightest shade of pink, while it's stem was crafted from the tiniest emeralds she'd ever seen, emeralds that Lily was almost positive matched the color of her eyes, and that made the flower all the more noticeable.
Steeling herself Lily reached down and ran her fingers over the beautiful charm. Perhaps if she took small steps, touching it, then holding it and then perhaps one day wearing it she might be able to handle it.
'What on Earth am I going to tell James.' She worried.
She had no idea what he meant giving her a gift like this. What on earth was she supposed to think?
She had known since that summer that James truly liked her, and wasn't just bent on impressing her in all the wrong ways, but for Merlin's sake that had only barely begun to seep in. She was still reeling from the thought that the guy who had once been on her top ten most hated list was now becoming a good friend of hers... was now on her list of guys that she had kissed, albeit briefly. She bit her bottom lip and sighed in frustration wondering how on earth she was ever going to get herself to take the damn thing out of the box.
***
"Hey kiddo you got a letter." Jason handed his son the sealed parchment that had come with the morning post.
James took it as he took his seat next to Sirius at the breakfast table. He opened it and smiled.
"It's from Lily."
Sirius swallowed his bacon quickly.
"Well…what does she have to say."
James read it himself and then, for Sirius' sake, began to read it out loud.
Dear James,
I hope your holiday is going well. Christmas here was the usual affair. My parents were great as always but my sister brought her boyfriend over to show him off again. I think my Dad secretly wants to shoot him, at least that's the feeling I got when he began to talk of his plans to lay off workers in the company he works for. My mum had to break in and start serving dessert early to keep him calm. Apart from all the family fun however I've been having a great holiday.
I know you probably don't want to hear this but I'm going to say it anyway because I feel I have to but just make sure you read the end of this letter before you write back okay?
The present you bought me was way too much. I can't believe you would go and spend that much money on me…that's just crazy because I know it was expensive. I mean you are seriously messed up in the head James Potter if you think that I'm going to just accept a gift like that without feeling guilty about it and without giving you a piece of my mind, which I will most certainly do once I see you again. So you had just better be prepared for it.
However I would also like to state that…it's beautiful James. I couldn't even bring myself to touch it until I had stared at it for at least an hour or so (alright I admit it was more like three hours or so). It took me the whole day to get up the nerve to try it on. I've never owned anything like it in my life. I wore it down to breakfast this morning and every time my mum looks at me she breaks into the biggest smile I've ever seen, though she doesn't know who it's from still, and now that I've put it on I don't think I can bring myself to take it off, so I'll be honest with you. I love it. I absolutely without a doubt love it! I don't know what possessed you to buy it for me, or at least I don't yet understand what possessed you to get it for me but I know that it means a lot coming from you and that makes it all the more wonderful.
Alright I'm rambling now, not that you aren't loving every second of it, so I'll let your owl head back to you. Thanks for letting me borrow him all the time by the way, and I'm sorry if he comes back spoiled. My mum can't help feeding and petting him all the time. (I think she may have even taken him on her daily walk this morning.)
Hope all is well and that you had a happy Christmas, tell Sirius I say hello.
Yours, Lily
James was grinning like an idiot by the time he finished reading it.
"So I suppose this means there will be no living with you over the next few days then?" Sirius drolled.
"What did you buy her James?" His mother asked curiously. "It seems it must have been something pretty outstanding if she's reacting the way she did."
James blushed crimson.
"Nothing much…"
"Oh please." Sirius broke in. "He spent nearly all the money he had wanted to use to buy those new arm and shin guards that's why he was pining for them for Christmas because he couldn't buy them for himself with only his Christmas money and he didn't want to ask you guys if he could dip into his other savings to pay for it."
"I didn't know you wanted the shin guards too." His dad remarked looking up from his breakfast surprised.
"It's no big deal really."
"Ya sure tell them what you got her mate." Sirius bullied.
"You are honestly a terrible best friend," James scowled at him but turned to his dad and said thickly, "Well we were walking in Hogsmeade and I passed this jewelry shop, Warnfleets I think it was called."James watched his mother raise her eyebrows at his father and continued on quickly, "So I dropped in and Padfoot was with me, and I saw this necklace I liked. Padfoot thought I would be crazy to buy it so I just walked out with him and came back later and got it myself is all."
"What sort of necklace was it?" His mother questioned her brown eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Ya James, what sort of necklace was it?" Sirius teased.
James mumbled something quietly.
"Ooh Charlotte I think I heard the word diamond's in there." Jason chuckled.
"All I caught was silver." She answered with a smirk.
Sirius rested his chin on his palm as he leaned toward them conspiratorially.
"You missed emeralds and the fact that it was shaped like a Lily." He supplied.
"Oh my no wonder the poor girl had a hard time accepting it." Charlotte laughed lightly.
James stood up his face crimson with embarrassment.
"You know what I'm full. I think I'll go to my room now, you all enjoy your laugh at my expense and I'll just be seeing you later."
As he walked away he heard Sirius tell his parents.
"You know some days I really think he's in love with her. Then sometimes I just think he's gone mad. You never know these days, I mean look at Dumbledore, bloody bonkers that bloke is."
***