Wow, I certainly didn't expect this much response to this story. I'm glad you all like it though. To answer some reviews I got about it being a Christmas story in July, I have a simple response. I'm not very fond of summer. Aside from not having school, I prefer winter much more. Plus during the Christmas season I don't usually have a lot of extra time to write and I've always wanted to write a Christmas story.

This chapter is very short and uneventful but I promise that the next one is longer and better.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

The next morning Rory had went to school early in order to ensure she was not caught. She had convinced the kid who helped the maintenance staff to give her Tristan's locker combination.

When she opened it she wasn't exactly shocked to find it practically empty. There were a couple brand new notebooks and the text books that had been handed out at the beginning of the year, but most of them weren't even used. The pencils and pen packages on the top shelf were missing maybe one or two from each and she had her doubts they were used so he could take notes.

Quickly she decorated his locker with the snowflakes that Lorelai had made for her. Secretly enjoying the fact that there would be glitter all over for the rest of the school year.

She knew there was a chance that when Tristan walked into school and saw it he'd take it down, she knew his friends would probably make fun of it but she didn't care.

Taping a note to the top shelf to make sure that he didn't miss it, she closed the locker and made her way towards her own hoping to not have been noticed.

Rory's first period class was right across from Tristan's locker and she usually went to homeroom early, so no one would be suspicious when she was in homeroom when Tristan arrived at school. Though, instead of reading she kept an eye on his facial expression when he opened his locker. There was a small smile that appeared on his face as he took the note off the shelf and placed his coat on the hooks before shutting the locker and walking away.

Pulling out a book to read, Rory smiled to herself. She'd managed to get a smile, not a smirk, from Tristan…It wasn't much but it was certainly a start.

As Tristan walked down the hall he turned into a empty corridor area and looked down at the note on a piece of snowman stationary:

The song 'Winter Wonderland' is a cliché for a reason but since I get the feeling you think you're to cool to take a stroll in the snow…I guess I'll just bring the snow to you.

Sincerely,

Your very own Cindy Lou Who.

Tristan reread the note at least three times before analyzing it. This person obviously knew his reputation but then again who didn't. The writing was standard print but he was assuming it was a girl because they called themselves Cindy Lou Who, any guy who did that he might have an issue with…Unless they were trying to throw him off.

He had liked his snowflakes though he made a mental note to take them down before his friends saw them, he didn't want to listen to their jokes about them.

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First period had ended and Rory had forgotten the book she needed for her next class, making her have to stop at her locker. She usually never forgot anything but today she must have been too wrapped up in Tristan's present to notice she'd forgotten it.

She entered the combination of her lock and opened it, glad that it didn't get stuck this time. As it opened the smell of chocolate wafted out. Smiling as she noticed the Starbucks cup on the top shelf with a note attached to it:

It's commonly known that you prefer coffee but coffee isn't what you're supposed to sit by the fire and drink, hot chocolate is. Enjoy.

Yours Truly,

Santa's Helper

Grabbing a cup she took a sip of the still hot liquid, it wasn't coffee but it was just as satisfying. Grabbing the book she needed in one hand and the cup in the other, she used her foot to close the door and walked towards her next class with a smile on her face.

The simple hot chocolate gesture was simple but it made Rory's day. Even when Paris criticized the article she had written for the paper, when Tristan sent blatant innuendos in her direction or how her physics teacher gave out a pop quiz that she knew didn't do well on; it was the hot chocolate that for some reason stopped her from freaking out.

What she didn't see was that her snowflakes were having an effect on Tristan as well. He had forgotten to take them down and his friends saw them and proceeded to laugh but he didn't care. He said he thought there were pretty cool, it took a lot of talent to do them which made his friends reconsider laughing.

Truth was, Tristan had never seen anything like them. His house was always decorated like a Pottery Barn ad. None of the decorations in the DuGrey mansion were homemade, not even the ornaments on the tree were from when he was younger.

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Finally the end of the day approached and Rory was once again caught off guard by Paris's appearance next to her locker "What do you need Paris."

"To show you this." She said angrily holding up a pink, plastic dreidel with yellow symbols on it. "You were wrong."

"I'm sorry."

"This project is pointless."

"It's five days Paris, embrace it."

"Yeah Paris, embrace it." A voice from behind them chirped.

"Shove it, DuGrey. You only like Christmas because it gives you a reason to screw brainless bimbos in Veil."

"True, however as my secret Santa pointed out 'Winter Wonderland' is a cliché for a reason, so I'm going to go take a walk in the snow."

"Alone?"

"I am capable of doing things by myself."

"Really? I figured you'd use the cheerful Christmas angle to pick up girls."

"Not this time, Geller." He told her as he threw a smirk in Rory's direction before walking out of the front doors.

He was actually going to go walk around the downtown Hartford area to find something for tomorrows secret Santa. He wasn't creative in the least. Making things wasn't his style but he figured if he at least put thought into what he bought it would count for something.

Paris and Rory watched as he walked out of school "I wonder who his secret Santa is."

Rory shrugged, "No idea."

"They probably have no idea what they've already done for him."

"Probably not." Rory agreed inwardly smiling.