I've had a bit of a rough couple of weeks. My dad is in Denver for work, and he's kind of the only sane one in this house. So there's been a lot of arguing and yelling and general fighting in our house, so I've been avoiding writing for a while. But I just got the most thoughtful review, and when I read it, I cried. I'm so thankful for all the support you guys give me- I couldn't ask for better readers. Thank you so much for your support, and please, tell me what you think.

Once again, I'm sorry that this chapter is abominably late. But given that I had an emotional breakdown in the middle of my algebra class a few days ago, I hope you all can forgive me under the grounds of "has too much stress in her life". But my exams will be done soon and I'll get back on track. Promise.

This isn't up to my usual standards, and it's a bit shorter than usual, but I'm just trying to get back into the swing of things. But I did name the chapters! SO that's something! Anyways, thanks for understanding.

Sirius woke the house up the next morning rather unceremoniously, parading up and down the stairs and shouting, "IT'S CHRISTMAS EVE!" at the top of his lungs. Lily, having had a late night, groaned and clapped her hands over her ears and shouted, "For God's sake, Sirius, give a woman some shut-eye!"

Lily heard a muffled voice from across the hall. "For once in my life, I agree with her! You are a GUEST in MY house, and you would do well to remember that!"

Her house? Are you kidding me? Without further ado, Lily jumped out of bed, put on her slippers, and left her room to join Sirius's spirited chorus. "IT'S CHRISTMAS EVE!" Lily hollered, dragging Sirius down to the kitchen to retrieve pots and pans, and proceeded to bang them outside Petunia's door until James came stumbling down the stairs.

He yawned and rumpled his already too-messy hair. "What the bloody hell is going on here?"

From inside the door, they heard Petunia yell, "Language!" The trio looked at each other, and began to yell, "IT'S CHRISTMAS BLOODY EVE!"

Petunia turned on her hairdryer and drowned them out, putting an end to their spirited chorus. They shrugged at each other and went downstairs, where they could already smell the waffles cooking.

"Hello, my dear," Mr. Evans sang out from the table. "I'm afraid all the waffles are gone."

"Of course they are," Lily grumbled, stalking over to the bread cabinet, where she extracted a muffin. She tossed one over to James, who was not expecting it and got hit in the face.

The room exploded with laughter. James surfaced, cherry-faced, from the underside of the table, where he had gone to retrieve the muffin. "Shut up, Vernon," he mumbled at the whale of a man, who had begun to choke on his stack of waffles. Sirius smacked him on the back with unnecessary force, and, still chuckling, said, "So! It's Christmas Eve! What do y'all do to celebrate?"

Mr. Evans sat down and tucked into his bowl of ice cream. "Christmas Eve in the Evans family is gift shopping day."

Vernon looked at Petunia. "How, er, peculiar," he said, raising his eyebrows at her. She blushed.

"I got all my shopping done last month," Petunia said huffily. "Which is why I will expect you, Lily, at the Dress Loft at 3:30 today for your fitting."

"I thought you didn't want me to be a bridesmaid," Lily grumbled through a mouthful of muffin. Petunia eyed her with distaste.

"I didn't. But, unfortunately, my darling Vernon pointed out that his relatives do know rather vaguely that you exist, and that it would be peculiar if you were not included in the ceremony."

"I'm surprised she told them about me at all," Lily said under her breath.

"Probably an accident," James whispered back.

"This has, of course, been a terrible inconvenience for me- I couldn't pick any pink dresses, because they'd look simply atrocious with your hair, and you're a bit tall already, so the heels can't be that tall, and-"

Lily rolled her eyes at James. "Dad, want to go out with me today to get presents?"

"Sorry, Lil, someone has to mind the grocery. Could you stay back so Petty can get the wedding shopping out of her system?"

"Dad, you can't drive."

Sirius jumped up. "I'll take him! If James lets me drive Bertha, that is."

James nodded. "Take her away, Padfoot. I'll hang downstairs with Lily."

Mr. Evans winked at the two of them. "Keep it PG, you two, unsanitary behavior is bad for business."

Petunia shuddered. "Almost makes it worth it just to gross Petunia out, doesn't it?" James whispered to Lily, who blushed. James left the kitchen to head down to the grocery, leaving Lily frozen by the table.

"Yeah. That's it."

-x-x-x-

"Why doesn't your dad do music?" James said out of nowhere. He and Lily were sitting at the counter of the Evans family's grocery, watching the customers mill around the store. "He's bloody brilliant. I watched him play the keyboard last night, and he's amazing. He could have made it."

Lily smiled. "Yeah, he could have. He actually didn't even start off with music, though. He grew up here in Cokeworth, he was best friends with my mum growing up. She lived a couple roads down, and it was always her, or so claims. My mum used to say that he was quite the player, though."

Gee, I wonder what 'it was always her' feels like. Oh, wait..."What did he want to do?"

Lily grinned at him. "James, my father has a PhD in astrophysics."

"What the hell is he doing running a grocery? That's a high-paying job."

"Yeah, if you can find one."

"Oh."

"After he was rejected from Oxford's research division for the twelfth time, he ditched astrophysics and ran off with his band, Whispers on the Front Porch. They were doing alright when my grandpa died, then he gave up music to come home and run the grocery. By that time, my mom was teaching at the local elementary school and they met up for drinks, and something just...clicked that time."

James studied her. "Sounds like they were meant to be."

Lily looked steadily back. "Yeah, it does."

She finally broke eye contact with him, blushing a little. "So, why is Remus in Australia?"

James scowled. "He's spending his precious time here on Earth, in one of the most wonderful places on the planet, trapped in a sterile white room." When Lily gave him a confused look, he elaborated. "He's in a special hospital to have a surgery on his lungs."

"What?! What's wrong with them?"

"They suck."

Lily looked stricken. "He has never, ever given any indication that he wasn't okay. WHy didn't he tell me? How have I been so blind, I could have helped him. Jesus, Remus-"

James put a reassuring hand on her arm. "Lil, don't beat yourself up over it. He didn't tell us until we were sophomores, and we only figured it out after we saw him during the summer after sophomore year, swimming with his shirt off and a huge scar down his front."

"Wait- you said his precious time on earth- is he dying? Oh, my god, Remus-"

"Nah, he's not dying. It's not that bad. I mean, it inhibits his ability to function, but he isn't going to die. Yet. Anyway, Moony would kill me if he knew I was telling you, he hates pity. Time to change the subject."

-x-x-x-

"Wait a second- you said you haven't drank since this summer!" James said, whirling around and pointing an accusatory finger at Lily from where he was standing by the corn chips.
"Um, yeah?"

"You drank that night at the Three Broomsticks when we were stuck in Nanpantan. You were totally drunk then!"
"I was not! I absolutely know my limits, and I did not exceed them. Besides, I have a perfect memory of that night."

James froze. "Um, you do?"

"Of course. I had a scotch then I fell asleep at the bar. You carried me up and put me in bed and that was all there was."

James turned away, simultaneously relieved and disappointed. "Yeah. all there was to it."

-x-x-x-

At three, Mr. Evans returned, relieving James and Lily of cashier duty. They walked back to the flat before going to the dress shop, and Lily stopped at the door. "Right, Potter, I need you to do something for me."

"Why, Evans, do you really call your boyfriend by his last name? Unless, of course, you have some sort of attachment to it," James said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at her. She flushed. "Yes, that is what I call you. Anyways, I need one of your shirts."

That threw James off his guard. "Um, what?"

"The fitting will be full of Petunia's friends- they're all almost carbon copies of her. And what better way to get under their skin then to look absolutely content and happy in my relationship?"

"Er, what does that have to do with my shirt?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Never mind. Just get a shirt that's quite blatantly yours."

James returned minutes later with his scarlet and gold university soccer jersey. "This good?"

Lily smiled smugly. "Perfect. Now, I need your jacket."

"Lily, it is thirty degrees out with the wind chill."

"Whatever."

He smiled. "Don't worry, I haven't forgotten why I'm here. I'll play my part when we get to the dress shop. However, I don't care to freeze my behind off in the meantime, so I'm wearing it there. You can have my scarf, though."

Lily pulled it out from under her jacket. "I already do. She ruffled her hair up."

"What are you doing? It looked fine before."

"I know it did. I want the 'just-snogged' look to spite Petunia."

"I could make that authentic for you."

She smacked his shoulder, but laughed and smiled. "Prat."

He smiled at her and offered his arm. "My lady?"

She smiled and took his arm. "Thank you, my good sir."

-x-x-x-

They arrived at the door of the bridal shop, and Lily wrinkled her nose with distaste. "Do I really have to go in there?"

"Unfortunately, yes," James said, peering past the rows and rows of tulle and satin. "It looks like you'll never escape, but the wedding is why I'm here, so you have to get ready for it. So you can look your best and get your sister off your back."

Lily turned to him. "James, I never would have thought I would say this, but you're the best company I could have asked for this Christmas. You're not just here to be useful, you're here because you belong here. Does that make sense?"

James's smile seemed to split his face open. "I'm glad you feel that way, because this place feels right to me, too."

With an unceremonious bang, the shop door swung open. "Get in here, weirdo, so we can get your fitting over with," Petunia said, turning her nose up in distaste at the sight of James. "Since when have you played soccer? I was under the impression you wasted all your time with that blasted instrument."

"It's not mine, it's James's." Petunia's face turned red, and she turned around to let the door swing shut.

"Bye, James," Lily said as she prepared to follow her older sister. He caught her arm as she headed in. "That's no way to say goodbye to your boyfriend, no, is it?"

She blushed and shook her head. Swiftly and sweetly, James captured her lips with his and gave her a searing kiss that left her dizzy. He pulled away, and with it, he stole the scarf looped around her neck. "Hey!" he exclaimed, scowling at him.

"I'll give it back after you get this done. Then we can go Christmas shopping."

She smiled at him, then walked into the shop. She came face-to-face with six girls all gaping at her- presumably from their astonishment at James and the kiss. Smiling self-satisfiedly, Lily sauntered between the girls and sat down in a corner, feeling better than she had around Petunia since they were children.

It's nice coming out on top every once and a while.