A/N- I don't own anything you recognize, how many times do I have to tell you?

This chapter is dedicated to AsItThunders, for her anticipation. She also has some very good stories, so I suggest you check them out!

Thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter: AsItThunders, Merino649, feeling5, mysterious victoria, and kt130. You guys are the reason I write! :)

To AsItThunders- sorry for leaving you hanging, hope this is a soon enough update!

To Merino649- Yea, Snape can be sweet, but not when he's drunk, and a death eater.

To Feeling5- you make me smile! xD either way is good ;D I never get tired of hearing it.

To mysterious Victoria- I see your point. I was thinking of all sorts of beastly things to do to Snape as I wrote the last chapter. :) But you should like this chapter. It's my favorite! (so far)

To kt130- thanks, I had a sweet Christmas, except I couldn't eat toffee because I recently had my braces tightened. :(

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me: ten lords a-leaping, nine ladies dancing, eight maids a-milking, seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

James had wanted to go back to the room of requirement, and finish off those gits, but Sirius convinced him not to. He had only done this by saying they would have a nice, drawn out death now, as opposed to a quick one, and James then wouldn't become a murderer. James agreed reluctantly.

It was at one o'clock when he flew to Lily's dorm. Robbin was fast asleep, as was Lily, with her wand in her hand. James had the suspicion that she had had to stun herself to get to sleep, and he felt an alarming surge of hatred toward Snape, who had dared to violate Lily. His fingers flexed, as if he was itching to wrap them around Severus' throat and strangle him, but he mustn't do that. He closed his eyes and counted to ten. Then he got to work on the gift.

He had brought his wand along with him, so he could add the gentlemen to the tree skirt to dance with the ladies. It took him several minutes, but in the end, there were ten men with nine ladies swirling and twirling, waltzing around the Christmas tree. He had made sure that the men did not resemble himself in any way, shape, or form, so he wouldn't give himself away.

Just as he was about to leave, he heard Lily mumble 'James.' Knowing he'd been caught, he turned around, thinking up wild cover up stories, but found Lily still fast asleep. He looked over to Robbin, who was also slumbering deeply. Then he heard it again, 'James.' Lily had spoken his name, in her sleep. James smiled, maybe Sirius was right after all.

0o0

Lily woke up early the next morning, feeling genuinely rested. She hoped Severus had stayed away last night, and when she first looked at her tree she thought he had, but no, she noticed the 'ten lords a-leaping' imprinted on the tree wrap. Then a new thought occurred to her: Severus was still tied in the room of requirement, so it couldn't be him. A small spark of hope flared in her, because she knew who she wanted it to be. She also knew that was almost impossible, and yet… all her logical reasoning seemed to drift away as she imagined him coming to her dorm every night, he didn't need a password. She remembered the night that he had been in the hospital Sirius had delivered it. Sirius was James best mate, it made sense that that's who he would rely on. Lily was upset at herself, though, for getting carried away. She had hoped without giving herself permission to hope; but she couldn't help hoping just the same.

0o0

Lily came down to the common room early, she didn't want to go down to breakfast by herself again, so she intended to wait for James, but he was already there.

"Hi, Lily," said James, "I was just going to wait for you to come down, I don't really want you to go to breakfast yourself…" he trailed off.

"I was about to do the same," said Lily, smiling. James was pleased that she seemed to have bounced back well. He wondered if he would be crossing lines to take her hand as he walked down, but decided against it. He didn't want to be pushy like Snivellous, he decided it best for her to lead. He was upset at himself for the way he was thinking; he was her bodyguard, not her boyfriend!

They started walking in silence, strolling rather awkwardly six inches between each other. They both felt the impulse to grab the other's hand, but thought it may be too sudden. So they walked in silence for a ways.

"So, bodyguard," said Lily jokingly, "We might as well get to know each other, seeing as we'll be spending a lot of time together."

"We will?" asked James, trying to hide his excitement.

"Well, if that's okay with you," said Lily quickly.

"Great! I mean, yea, it's cool with me," said James casually.

"Cool," said Lily. These two people had to be the most inept flirters that Hogwarts had ever seen. "Well, um, what's your favorite music?"

"Well," pondered James, "I like 'The Lost Wand' and 'Black Magic,' those are my favorite bands. I guess I don't really like music that much, though."

"Me neither," smiled Lily. They continued to quiz each other for the remainder of the day, laughing at similar traits, describing their favorite foods. They found themselves telling each other things they had never told anyone else, and felt as if the other really understood them. It was evening, just after dinner, when Lily asked a more serious question.

"This has been really fun, today," she said, "And tomorrow, well, it's Christmas Eve, so we'll all be going to Hogsmeade. I was wondering, if, well… do you want to go with me?"

"Of course," said James, thinking she meant as her bodyguard, "I told you I'd stick around, you know, protect you, until you get tired of me."

"James," she said, catching his attention because she hadn't called him 'Potter.' "I meant as… well… as a date."

"You want me to go on a date with you?" asked James, looking like he'd just been hit over the head with a saucepan

"Well, yea, but if you don't want to go, you don't have to-" she said quickly, trying to hold back her tears.

"No, Lily, are you kidding? I've been waiting to go on a date with you since first year! Of course I will!"

"Sweet," said Lily, and she grasped his hand. James was in heaven.

0o0

Sirius was in good spirits as he walked down to the room of requirement. He was eager to see if any of the Slytherins had died yet. Strolling into the room, he lifted his head to the ceiling. There, where the death eaters should have been, was an empty harness. Sirius ran to warn James.

A/N- dundundun… cliffie! Review if you want the next chapter up today!