CHAPTER 15

The days passed quickly. Christmas drew nearer, and a weight seemed to be lifted off Lily's shoulders. She was happier now. She wasn't spending as much time locked away in a room with Fred, she had built friendships with Hermione, Ginny, Ronald, and even Harry Potter himself (although, there was still something she didn't like about him, maybe that was just the Slytherin inside of her).

She was sitting in her room with Ginny and Hermione one semi-snowy afternoon. They were discussing relationships, hair, makeup, anything girly really. Lily loved it.

"So, what's going on with you and Ron?" Lily asked Hermione who went bright red.

"I, uh, I'm sure I don't know what you mean," she said in a flustered manner.

"Oh c'mon, you can tell us," Ginny encouraged.

"Well er, nothing is going on, per se," she said.

"But you like him?" Lily asked.

"Yes," she said quietly, and the other two girls giggled, "oh shut up! What about you and Harry, Ginny?"

Ginny's eyes went wide and her face went bright red.

"Well what about Lily and Fred?" Ginny said attempting to turn the attention away from herself.

"Please, is there anything we don't know about Lily and Fred? We see them with their tongues down each other's throats every day!" Hermione exclaimed.

"You don't know, how I fell for her," a voice said. The girls turned to see Fred leaning against the doorway. The girls looked at each other and shrugged. Fred sat on the floor beside his girlfriend, throwing an arm around her shoulder and kissing her on the cheek.

"Go on then," Ginny said.

"Well, it was in fourth year, when you, Ginny, got taken into the chamber," Ginny's face dropped at the thought, "all the Gryffindors were in the common room. It was quiet and depressing, and me and George were sitting in a corner alone, no one daring to talk to us. And then Lily came in and rushed over to me and George. She hugged George and then me. But she held on to me. She held George's hand but she was clinging to my arm," he chuckled, "then she kissed me on the cheek and I just knew,"

"You just knew that you loved her?" Hermione said with her arms crossed.

"Not necessarily that I loved her. Just that I knew I didn't want to let go of her," he said sweetly before adding, "And that I really wanted to snog her,"

The girls 'awwed' then rolled their eyes.

"Hey, Freddie, do you know where Whiskey is?" Lily asked.

"Downstairs, I think, why?" he replied.

"I'm gonna go to Diagon alley. I have Christmas presents to buy," She said standing up.

"Oh! May we come?" Hermione asked excitedly. Ginny nodded with a grin.

"Sure!" she said.

"Okay, let's go," Fred stood up too.

"Actually, I was thinking that maybe this could just be a girl thing," she said.

"Okay sweetie," he smiled.

The girls headed downstairs to find Whiskey. He was in the dining room doing the dusting. He took Lily and Ginny's hands and Hermione held onto Ginny's shoulder. Within ten seconds they were standing in Diagon Alley, surrounded by other witches and wizards. They went to a few shops but found nothing that really caught their eye.

"May Whiskey suggest, you go to Hogsmead?" Whiskey said more confidently than usual.

"Whiskey that's a great idea!" Lily exclaimed and not a moment later, their surroundings changed again.

Snow was falling on the ground of the village. There were a fair few people there, but not as many as back in Diagon Alley. It was calm, yet bustling with excitement at the same time.

They went to Honeydukes first. It was the perfect place to buy presents for Harry and Ron. She got them some Pepper Imps, Sugar Quills, Pumpkin Pasties and Acid Pops. She didn't know them very well, so she thought sweets were the way to go.

"Let's go to Zonko's so I can get something for Fred and George," Lily suggested.

"No offense, Lily, but what do you see in him?" Ginny asked.

"Oh, I don't know. He's nice, funny, he understands me and doesn't care that I'm a Slytherin, not to mention how hot he is," she laughed and Ginny mimicked vomiting.

Zonko's Joke Shop wasn't very full today. There was barely anyone in there. Hemione and Ginny walked off to have a look around and Lily drew her attention to a large shelf. The shelf was stocked with Dungbombs, Hiccough Sweets, Frog Spawn Soap, Sugar Quills, Nose-Biting Teacups and many more things most people considered humorous.

She was considering what to get the twins when she heard a voice from behind her and a tap on the shoulder.

"Lily?" said the familiar voice. She spun around to face the mystery boy.

There he was. Cute as ever. Standing there with a surprised smile on his face. His shaggy blond hair half covering his face and his hazel eyes gleaming.

"Mason," Lily croaked.