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'Potter, you git!’
The common room sighed. 'Like clockwork’ someone murmured. No one looked up to see the two flashes of red - one aimed at the giggling boys behind the armchair and one furiously climbing up the girls’ staircase. A furry green….thing remained behind, crawling towards the wary first years.
'Was it really that funny to Transfigure her things for the fifth time?’ Remus asked from the fireplace. He waved his wand and the thing turned back into a brown backpack.
'Oh shut up, Moony. You're just as complicit. Plus, it's Christmas! I just gave it a bit of holiday cheer!’ James said, breaking into another fit of giggles. Sirius merely wheezed from the floor in reply. ‘And look - she only put a Full Body-Bind on Padfoot this time. Remember the toenail thing she did two months ago? It took ages to find the counter curse’
A few seventh years rolled their eyes. James had nearly had a seizure when he’d found out that Lily wasn't going home for Christmas, and he was now making sure that he made full use of this opportunity. This wasn't going to help their NEWT work at all.
Taking pity on the still-wriggling Sirius, James finally lifted the spell from him. This only led to more giggling, and a prison sentence up in their dorm ten seconds later from some very annoyed Gryffindors who threatened to turn them bald otherwise.
The common room was empty now; the place barely visible from the dying fireplace. James padded down the stairs and between tables with practised efficiency until he bumped into something that hissed 'Oof, who the bloody hell - Potter!’ He scrambled back a few steps, thoroughly confused. 'Evans?’
Lily had apparently been sitting at the foot of a couch. Even in the half light, James noticed how her dark red hair curled around her shoulders and was instantly hyper aware of his crooked glasses and his deer pyjamas. He also noticed the tear tracks below her (uncommonly green, he thought) eyes and immediately sat down. 'What happened?’
'Nothing’ she said quickly, rubbing her cheeks. 'Why are you down here?’
'Oh, Pad - I mean, Sirius and I were locked up in our dorm till after dinner, and I lost a bet so I have to get food for both of us. That's not the point, though. You're clearly not okay.’ he said
She looked at him a long moment, shoulders tense, and finally gave in with a sigh. 'It’s….it’s my sister. She doesn't want me back home for Christmas.’
'Oh? Someone dare dislike our perfect Prefect?’
She huffed out a small laugh at that, something that pleased James quite a bit. 'How long were you waiting to say 'perfect Prefect’? But yeah, Tuney pretty much hates me enough to not want me ruining her first Christmas back home from the city. She very clearly told me that I'd do better to focus on my 'silly bird exam’ at Hogwarts while she has Mum and Dad to herself for two weeks.’
James frowned and turned towards her. 'Doesn't she know what the OWLs are?’
Lily grimaced. ’My sister hates that I'm a witch. She’d do anything to belittle something Hogwarts related. I can usually shrug it off, but it's not always easy knowing that your first ever best friend treats you like dirt, you know? I… oh, why am I even telling you this, Potter? We barely know each other outside you pranking me and Severus.’
He sneered at the mention of Snape. Before he could stop himself, he said 'Yeah, where is good ol’ Snivellus? Off slobbering over some Death Eaters?’
Lily froze. James half-expected her to hex him right there, and it scared the life out of him when he heard a sob escape her instead. 'Oh shit Evans, I’m so sorry! I was just having a bit of fun, you know that right? I make fun of him, you say things about me - that's our routine! It's fun! Right?’
'Ugh...It’s not b-bloody fun Potter! It's mean and…..God, how can I call you out on bullying Sev when what you say about him is...r-right? He is a Death Eater now, isn't he?’ she said, her voice breaking at the end.
James didn't reply, resorting to a few awkward pats on her arm as she cried. What did his mom tell him about distraught people again? It was something about letting them cry themselves out, but it wasn't easy watching Lily do that. Her nose became very red, which was a little cute though. He tried focusing on that and not saying any more stupid things.
After a few minutes, he said 'You know what? I know what you need. I'll be back in six minutes’
'That’s oddly specific’ she snorted, but before she looked up again, he was gone. 'Good going Lily, you finally managed to drive Potter away’ she mumbled.
True to his word, James returned in six minutes with two enormous mugs of steaming hot chocolate. He wouldn't tell her how he got them, but Lily wasn't going to complain. After two minutes of dedicated sipping from both of them, James began. ‘Did you know that Peter can eat three Honeydukes bars in one go?’
Lily choked on her cup. 'What?’
'I know, right? The boy’s a champ. Too bad he's at his mother’s for the hols’
'That is very impressive’ she said. They both chuckled into a slightly uncomfortable silence.
'Look, I'm sorry about today with your bag, okay? And about your sister and Sn - Snape’ he ammended hastily at her glare. 'I don't fully understand what's going on, but you're a pretty amazing person. If they can't see that, then Merlin’s shitpiles to them. You certainly don't deserve to have your holidays ruined by them. Who cares if your sister doesn't like your magic? You're probably going to top the year anyway - no, don't look at me like that, Slughorn’s pet! And if that git’ - she didn't respond to that, so he went on - 'that git thinks that he can take you for granted, then he can get stampeded by Hagrid’s hippogriffs.’
James fell quiet at that, nervously waiting for Lily's response. After a long look (did he have a chocolate moustache?) she said, ‘You're unnaturally nice today. What's in this for you?’
‘It's Christmas! I'm feeling magnanimous!’ he said, wiggling his eyebrows. Lily smiled. He liked it quite a bit when she did that. Her whole face lit up and he'd feel something warm in his stomach every time.
They sat together, bickering about Christmas and his dubious motives till James admitted defeat and Lily walked back to the girls’ stairs after a silent little victory march. Laughing, he enchanted little paper balls to hover over her head like a crown, at which she gave him an exaggerated bow. He felt like he could do this all night.
Seeing her shoot finger guns (little Muggle kill wands according to her) at him, James was struck with a slowly trickling feeling. After saying goodbye, he walked back to his dorm, unaware of an impatient Sirius waiting for him at his four poster.
'Oi Prongs, where the bloody hell is the food? You've been gone ages!’
‘...Pads, I think I like Lily Evans.’ James whispered as he sat down on his bed.
Sirius fell quiet for a few minutes, and then threw a book at him.
The next day, instead of the usual resigned studying, the common room was abuzz with excitement. The first and second years could be seen whispering intently while the older students exchanged money with either glee or annoyance. Sirius was handling a couple dozen people himself.
'What in Merlin’s pants is going on? It's barely seven!’ James asked, rubbing his eyes as he walked in.
'Mate, you let us down pretty badly’ Sirius called out as several people shot James dirty looks. 'Look, I'm even going to have to postpone buying that motorcycle helmet!’ He shook his head and went back to business.
'They had all bet on when you'd realise your feelings for Lily’ Remus said, steering a stunned James into a chair. 'I personally got a good two Galleons, thank you very much’ he whispered. 'Don’t tell Padfoot’