Chapter 7: Home For The Holidays

"Lily, a moment?" Sirius Black asks, motioning me from behind a pillar in the entrance hall. I stand from waiting atop my trunk, following him to a shadowy corner.

"Haven't left yet?" I ask. "I'd have expected ev--"

"It's about James," he interrupts me quickly, holding up a hand to silence any protest. "Let me get this out, alright? He acts like he's floating ten feet off the ground up there. Singing, whistling, and, honestly, if I hear 'she loves me, mate' one more time I'll strangle him myself--Azkaban be damned." Black pauses a moment before continuing. "My point, Lily, is that Yule Ball holds a special sort of magic in itself. Bit of the holiday enchantment, I suppose, and people say and do things they won't normally." He raises a dark eyebrow at me expectantly. "Savy?"

I cross my arms over my chest, scowling up at him. "You think I didn't mean it, don't you? Honestly, Black, the last thing I expected to do this term is fall in love with James Potter but I...It's a private matter, really, and you are definitely not the person I should be explaining this to."

"James is my best mate," he says. "We're close as brothers and if I'm not convinced, believe me I'll shout from the rooftops that you're toying with him. You haven't been civil to him for six years and suddenly--magically--that changes?" Black narrows his eyes. "It's...It's not magic, is it? Did you bewitch him?"

"Honestly!" I cluck, rolling my eyes. "Why would I ever want to do that when you admitted yourself that I've despised him since first year?" I gulp down a huge breath, trying to calm my rising temper. "My opinion's changed, Black, and that's all you need to know."

"Is it a trick?" he asks. "A seventh year prank?"

"No," I say, arms tightening across my chest. "It's the honest truth and you can choose to believe it or not. Please, just don't cause trouble between me and James. I understand that you're worried--my friends feel the same way about me--but I...I meant what I said at Yule Ball. I won't hurt him. Accept it or don't, but it's the truth."

I turn to leave but Black grabs my elbow, stepping close and whispering "I'll be watching you" in my ear. I wrench free, heading back to my trunk without another word. Severus Snape is waiting awkwardly by it for my return.

"Oh, Severus!" I exclaim. "I thought for certain you'd have left already. Looking forward to the rest of holiday?"

"I...I bought you something," he says, jamming a small red and green box into my hands. "Happy Christmas, Lily."

"Happy Christmas, Severus," I say, slightly stunned. "A gift. How very thoughtful."

"It's only a small one but I...but I thought you'd...you'd appreciate it."

"Thank you. Yes, of course." I lift the little lid, taking out a small blown glass Christmas ornament with a partridge and pear tree etched onto it. I look up at his nerve racked face--paler than usual at this moment--before grinning brightly. "Thank you, Severus! I'll be sure to hang it on a special spot when I get home."

"I...I read the Muggle rhyme and thought you'd...you'd like it." He looks down, scuffing his boot toe on the ground, face turning nearly the same shade as my hair. "Happy Christmas."

"Thank you." I lean forward to kiss his cheek. "I just wish I'd gone shopping now before term was over. I don't have anything to give you."

Severus looks up, holding his hand over the spot where I'd just kissed him. "This is...plenty. Um, safe trip!"

He hurries away before I can call another "Happy Christmas" and before he can become more flustered.

"James," I whisper, suddenly remembering that I had yet to say good bye to him. "James?" I call louder after climbing the stairs to the dorms and nearing the boys side. "James? Are you still here?"

The Seventh Years' door is ajar. I knock lightly, peeking in to see James still attempting to pack.

"James Potter, you haven't finished that yet?"

He looks up, crossing the room to absently kiss my forehead before going back to packing. "You're welcome to help. Think your family will miss you if I store you in here too?"

"Quite a tight fit, what with everything else jammed in," I laugh, returning his kiss on my forehead with one on the tip of his nose. "You'll be gone for four days, James. Do you really need that many changes of clothes?"

"Most of these are dirty," he says, sitting on his truck to latch it. "Mum gets upset if I don't bring home laundry." He watches me wistfully a moment. "Wish I could take you home with me."

"Send letters," I suggest, climbing onto the trunk beside him. "It's only four days."

"You've never given me your address."

I hop down to find scroll and quill somewhere in his cluttered side of the room, scrawling Lily Evans, #9 Privet Dr, Surrey, 2nd bedroom upstairs. "Don't go crazy sending owls. My younger sister Petunia is deathly afraid of birds. I made a chicken peck her eye once. That's how we found out I was a witch." I hand over the parchment. "Best to send at night when she's asleep."

"My owl can wait for your reply," James says. "He's good about it. I take it your parents won't let you keep one what with your sister's fear and all."

"I'm not even allowed to have a cat. She's allergic."

He slings an arm around my shoulders, pressing a kiss into my hair. "I left something out for you."

"A Christmas present?" James smiles, handing me a folded, clean-smelling sweater. It's his gold and maroon Quidditch jersey. The one with 'Potter Keeper' embroidered over the heart. "Now we can match," he says, tugging at his own nearly ever-present jersey. "Plus, you'll remember me if some Muggle boy tries to ask you out."

I laugh, pulling the jersey over my head. It nearly covers all my skirt. "I don't like Muggle boys. Too boring after being around Wizards."

"Just remember that when you finish out holiday at--" He checks the address "--9 Privet Drive, Surrey, second bedroom upstairs."

"I won't forget."

James smiles again, placing slow, very precise kisses down my forehead and nose before reaching my mouth. "Next holiday, we must spend together," he says, seeming unwilling to let me go.

"Easter?" I ask faintly, burrowing my cheek into his shoulder, not wanting to go either.

"Definitely. Easter. We'll plan for Easter."

"James," I whisper, pulling back enough to look directly into his eyes, my own swimming with unshed tears. "I...I meant what I said at Yule Ball. Black might...Black might try to tell you otherwise but I...I meant it."

He leans in for a kiss. "That's the best present you could ever think to give me this holiday. It's the one thing I've wanted for years."

Before I could respond, a notice blares "all transport to the train depot is leaving in FIVE MINUTES. All students finishing the holidays at home must be boarded in FIVE MINUTES...

"I'll send an owl tonight. Look for him tonight," James says as I turn away.

"H-Happy Christmas," I stammer, hating that I couldn't say the one thing that came so easily at Yule Ball dancing under the lights. "I lov--I'll look for your owl tonight."

"Happy Christmas," James calls as I dash out of the room. "I love you too!"