Winter Wonderland

Summary: Lily Evans was looking forward to a nice long Christmas break. A trip to a skii lodge with her family was her perfect chance to relax and get away from the chaos at Hogwarts, but what exactly happens when the chaos, James Potter, follows her there. They get snowed in a cabin is what happens!

Chapter Two: Let's Make a Deal

Lily sighed and turned over for what seemed like the fourteenth millionth time that night. Minus the hour long nap she took that afternoon, she had slept a grand total of three hours. It wasn't her sinus problems keeping her up. It wasn't her anxiety.

Lily was one of those people who liked sleeping in the complete darkness and not a sound can be heard. Petunia, on the other hand, had insisted they keep the bathroom light on. Lily agreed thinking after Petunia feel sleep she could sneak to the bathroom and turn the light off.

Unfortunately as soon as she flipped the switch, Petunia shot up and began screaming until Lily turned the light on again. Surprisingly as soon as the light was on again Petunia laid right back down and was asleep. Lily doubted she even woke up. But that was the irony of it all. The ironic part was...Petunia snored. Oh Merlin, did she snore.

By four o'clock in the morning, Lily couldn't take it anymore. Laying there was completely pointless. So, she decided she might as well get up. If nothing else she could at least get her shower before Petunia woke up and hogged the bathroom.

---

As soon as Lily was done showering, she immediately grabbed her latest book and head towards the main lobby to read it. Maybe no one would take it away from her this time. To Lily's delight when she reached the lobby she found the fire was still going strong, and the night man at the front desk had long been gone. Finally something was going her way!

She eagerly jumped on the couch and grabbed the blanket that was drooped over the back. She opened her book and immediately became absorbed in the fictional world. After reading a few chapters she was pulled back into the real world by the slamming of the front door. Lily's head jerked up. Her eyes perceived James Potter shaking the snow from his body and his broom.

As soon as he saw Lily he began smirking a mischievous smirk. It was the same one he wore when he was about to get into trouble for hexing Severus Snape. Lily rolled her eyes before trying to go back to reading her book. She didn't get far since James decided to sit on the end of the couch squishing her feet.

"Um...ouch." She mumbled moving them.

"Sorry." James said still smirking. At least he apologized so Lily shrugged it off and went back to reading. She could feel James's stare on her.

"Can I help you?" She asked with a sarcastic tone in her voice.

"Nope." James didn't even notice the sarcasm. "Just warming myself by the fire. It gets bloody could flying in the snow."

Lily's eyes widened, "You went flying! Here!"

James nodded, "That would be why I have a broom in my hand..."

Lily resisted the urge to smack the back of James's head. "What if a muggle would have seen you?" For all he knew the whole wizarding world could have been revealed! Then imagine the trouble James would have been. Lily bet he wouldn't have been smirking.

"At night?" James pointed out making Lily blush immensely. She had completely forgot the sun didn't come up until after six. Instead of responding to James, Lily rolled her eyes and close her book. Her eyes were starting to hurt form being so tired and trying to read. She squeezed them shut before opening them again, hoping it would refresh her sight. She yawned loudly.

"Why don't you go to bed if you're tired?" James asked.

"Petunia snore."

James snorted, "Ironic." Lily smiled slightly at James saying the same thing she thought.

"You know," James leaned over a little, "if you need a place to sleep...my bed is always open..."

Lily's eyes automatically rolled again, "Ugh, you're such a prat. Did you really think that I would say 'Let's go, baby.'"

James smirked, "Actually I was hoping you would say 'no'. I'm sharing room with my parents and it would be really awkward for us to have hot passionate sex right beside them."

Lily's face scrunched up, "First of all we would never have 'hot passionate sex'. And second of all, don't say things like that! It's bad mental images."

James chuckled, "Whatever you say, Evans." Lily hated it when he used her last name. It made it seem like they weren't even friends at all. She frowned. Were they even friends? She shrugged the though off.

"Why were you flying in the cold?"

"I have to stay in shape for quidditch!" James said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Besides you've got to see the view around here," James stared at the fire that had started to pop loudly, "I was dodging through trees trying to practice dodging Slytherins. You know how they like to play dirty, when the ground dropped and the trees disappeared. I realized I was flying over a huge canyon! It was so bloody huge, and absolutely beautifully. Almost as beautiful as you, Lily."

James's head turned so he could give Lily a huge smile. Only he frowned instead. Lily Evans was laying next to him sound asleep.

---

Lily woke to the sound of her father's voice. "How far are the ice glaciers from here?"

A voice Lily didn't recognize answered, "We have a sleigh ride that head out there at 10. It's takes about two hours, but today's the last run. Got some nasty weather coming in from the north. Apparently we're going to have to close the ski run in two days if it snows as much as they're predicting."

Lily heard her father pull his pocket watch out. It always hit the loose change he carried with him. Lily smiled. They could always hear him coming. He jingled the whole way.

"Well, it's 8:30 right now. There's no way my eldest daughter will be able to be up and ready by 10:00. I guess we'll just have to go another time. I'm going to get my wife and get some skiing in before it's too late." With that said he jingled off.

Lily sighed. Yet another part of her vacation ruined by the notorious Petunia. "Lily!" She heard a high pitch squeal that sounded like her name.

"Speak of the devil." Lily grabbed her book and fled for the door before the evilness could find her. She might as well get some skiing done too.

---

"Pull the strap tightly to stable the feet." Lily read aloud. Luckily when she was renting her skis she had found this book on learning to ski. Of course, having never skied before she snatched it up. She laid the book in the snow next to her skis before slipping her feet into the boots. She used her arms to balance herself.

Looking down at the book she read, "Use the right hand stick..."

Lily quickly looked around for it. She groaned realizing both sticks were stuck in the snow a few feet from her. Using her arms to balance she tried to reach for the stick, but came awfully close to falling. Just when she thought she had her balance back, a snow ball hit her back causing her to rock forward before falling on her arse. She heard a familiar laugh from behind.

"James Potter!" She screamed.

She definitely didn't like the way her pants were soaking up the snow. A shadow cast over her and a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist pulling her up. Lily brushed the snow off her pants as James walked around her. He looked down at her book.

"What the bloody hell is this?"

Lily scoffed, "Don't curse at me, and I'm learning to ski."

James's left eyebrow raised up, "From a book?" Lily nodded at him. "You're learning to ski from a book?"

"Yes"

"A book!" James repeated.

Lily's jaw clenched, "Yes. We've established the fact that I'm learning to ski from a book."

James snorted, "You can't learn to ski from a book!"

Lily glared at him, "Then why do they make it?"

James stood baffled for a second before smirking, "Because they know book worms like you will buy them."

"Don't you have something better to be doing?" Lily mumbled reaching down to unlace her boots. "Nope. What's the matter, Evans? Don't enjoy being near my wonderful attractive self. Other girls would kill to be in your place." James's chest puffed out proudly.

Lily just rolled her eyes, "Well, go find those other girls."

James sighed, "Come on, Evans. Let's make a deal."

Lily frowned, "Does this look like a game show to you?"

Confusion passed over James's face, "What? No..."

Lily shook her head signaling him to forget it. She forgot it was a muggle thing. Lily pulled her feet from the skis.

"Anyways, as I was saying...let's make a deal." Lily could tell by the smile on James's face this was going to be something she wasn't going to like.

"What exactly is it you want to make a deal about?"

"I'll teach you to ski..." A look of surprise crossed Lily's face. This was going good. "If you..." James paused for dramatic effect, "If you go...um...exploring...with me."

Lily thought about it for a second. She really did want to learn to ski, and this book was a rather stupid idea. Besides, how hard could exploring be? Looks like she was getting the better end of the deal.

Lily grinned, "Sure, Potter. I'll do it."

A/n: Ah! Thanks so much for the reviews! They make me crave writing. Plus, I just got a new job, and when we don't have many customers I get to write. So that means more chapters for you. Good news, eh? Keep those reviews coming, please!