Chapter 14: Of Gifts and Gala Occasions
It was later that same day, and the Jealousy had subsided, or so it seemed. Lily sat on her large white bed, which felt so perfect for a good nights sleep and for just lounging around in general. Lily was wrapping the gifts that she had gotten for everyone. A beautiful watch for Mr. Potter and a mesmerizing golden-chain bracelet for Mrs. Potter; and not to mention the two-quidditch season passes for James-and a friend, but Lily hoped that that friend could be her.
She heard someone knock on the door and immediately stuffed the slender box that held the tickets into her pocket that held her wand, it didn't look obvious; no it lay deep in the bottom of her bathrobe's pocket. "Come in" she said softly as she gently and nearly soundlessly closed the trunk at the bottom of her bed.
James walked into the room, a large almost mischievous and delightfully gorgeous smile playing at the corner of his lips. It only served to make him look utterly kissable, and Lily had to hold herself back.
"Lily come with me" he said holding out his hand so it was but inches away from her. Lily gently took hold of her hand and hopped from the bed with a light sounded thump. She took a step closer to him and smiled at him wondering where he was taking her and what he was playing at. And he had to be playing at something, it wasn't a James thing to do, come into a room without a plan that is.
"Where are we going?" She asked a questioning-and slightly intrigued smile began to play across her lips, she watched adoringly as James tried to hide his blatantly obvious utter enthusiasm. Wherever they were going, it had to be amazing otherwise he wouldn't have been so obvious.
"Its-I'm not telling you." He whispered, and led her from her room, leading her down a beautifully decorated hall. A hall adorned with gold-framed portraits of past family members whose eyes would follow you about the room. They stopped in front of a large tapestry with what looked like a magical masquerade playing about on the canvas. The twirls, the dips, the spins all of the masks and gowns and every little thing about a medieval masquerade displayed in one tapestry for all-well all wizards who saw the tapestry to see. Lily watched as James reached out his wand and tapped a beautiful stone fireplace in the tapestry, with that simple tap of his wand the images disappeared and were replaced by that of a large door. "Lily, this place is beautiful, you will love it." James smiled at her, leaning in and kissing her on her somewhat parted lips. He opened the door to reveal a large hall with paneled walls and floors-the floors were shiny they looked like that of a beautiful and most grand ballroom.
"Oh my goodness" Lily gasped making herself sound somewhat like Shirley Temple. "Its beautiful, what are you showing me this for?" She asked somewhat perplexed, why was he showing her such a grand room of his house?
"Because, I want to show you the room that I want to dance with you in." He said this as simply as ever, smiling softly at her and leaning in and kissing her, as he pulled back she yearned for more, more kisses, more embraces, more of James Potter. "That is, before my parents holiday ball!" James smirked as he leaned back in, his words and hot breath hitting the side of her neck ever so tantalizingly.
"Holiday ball?" Lily questioned, she had no idea of such an occasion when she agreed to stay with him over break. She had nothing to wear to such an occasion, nothing and she didn't really want have to borrow a gown from his mother or the money to buy one from him! "Are you inviting me James?" Lily smiled softly, hiding her babbling thoughts effortlessly from showcasing herself on her face.
"Why Miss Evans, I would not want it any other way! If you did not come, I don't know what I would do." He smiled and leaned in, looking deeply into her emerald eyes. "Do you want to come with me? Oh and do you know how to dance?" He asked placing his hand about her waist and taking her other hand in his, slowly he began to lead her into a simple waltz, smiling down at her as if this were the best day of his life. "You are a magnificent dancer my love!" He said with a bright smile, leaning in he kissed her in a slow and passionate way, simultaneously he tied a blindfold over her eyes and leaned in after a moment of obscure rustling and crinkling sounds. "Open Your Eyes" and with that, Lily found that the blindfold had magically disappeared. "Happy Christmas Lily" James said smiling; Lily could see that in his hands he held a beautiful deep crimson dress with delicate golden detailing.
"Wow James, its beautiful, b-but it's too much." Lily said humbly, giving him a soft appreciative smile.
James chuckled, "Lily, Lily, Lily" he said as someone would normally tut. His brilliant hazel eyes gleaming with a sly demeanor "If you don't want to go—that's fine…" he said sounding exceedingly disappointed.
"Oh fine James. I'll go!" Lily said her face began to flush as his hands began to travel from her waist moving up the back of her shirt. He stopped halfway up her back, leaning in he kissed her on the tip of the nose, and this served only to confused Lily.
"Happy Christmas Lily," He smiled at her and moving his hands from under the back of her shirt, clasping her hands in his. Lily felt something being placed in the palm of her hand. Smiling, she wanted desperately to know what it was. She herself still had James's gift tucked in her robe, which fell only mid-way down her thigh. She had had the robe since she were a child and was too lazy to get a new one.
"Lily, open your eyes silly!" James laughed slightly, his breath moving her hair. She had no idea that she had even closed her eyes. Opening her eyes she found a long box in her hand, raising her head and inclining a slightly raised brow at James she slowly began to open the box. Lifting the lid to find a beautiful locket-pendent with a small ruby placed delicately into the center of the heart. She smiled at the necklace and looked up at James, sighing, "Its Beautiful…" she smiled softly and gazed into his eyes feeling like she could get lost in them forever.
James stepped forward, taking the necklace from the box, he delicately brought it forward so that Lily could see that her name had been engraved on the front of the Locket-well her initials it was somewhat hard to fit Lillian Elizabeth Evans on a locket effectively. He slowly moved forward again, but stepping to the side so he ended up behind her, he began to clasp the necklace by the nape of her neck.
Lily smiled, "I've got something for you too-but its nothing in comparison to this, your gift-I can't even describe, its amazing, unexpected, really, but its so beautiful." She smiled and turned to face him as he finished clasping the necklace.
"I'll decide that Lil," James said jokingly, quickly adding, "anything from you is amazing to me!" He kissed her softly on the pulse point of her neck, unaware that he was making her lips part. Lily took the box out of her bathrobe pocket, carefully placing it in James's hand. She watched on baited breath as he opened the box, nervously she bit her lip as the gift was revealed to him.
"Lily" he said with a smile, taking both tickets out of the box, she saw the tickets and then the look on his face and sighed with relief. "Come with me," he said to her, "Come with me! I want you to be the person I'm sitting next to at the game." He smiled kissing her cheek as she complied to going with him, even though that was her plan all along.