The weather which coated Hogwarts in the winter of '76 was a peaceful one. The well kept grounds were usually covered with a white sludge which wasn't quite snow and wasn't quite mud at this time of year. However, now the green grass was sprinkled with the lightest, whitest snow you could have. The Forbidden Forest looked like something out of a Christmas movie. It was a scene for pictures and parades and hardly the classes which concealed James Potter on the final days before Christmas break.

The Gryffindor Common Room was also covered in Christmas decoration and festivities. Some muggle, some wizard. There were baubles hung on string which zig zagged across the canopy of the room. Along side wreaths at everyday doorknob.

However there was also Angels which sung carols when someone near them were in high spirits and there was mistletoe which floated around to couples who held the most tension in the room.

But what James Potter was most focused on was the effect these festivities had on Lily Evans. Everyone noticed and everyone knew.

For Lily Evans was pro Christmas. All through December her outfits were featured around Christmas Jumpers with House Elves wearing Santa hats with vibrant colours which clashed horribly with her hair.

This was one reason why James Potter really looked forward to Christmas. For nearly all through December she was in high spirits. She barely even snapped. Which for the fiery red head was quite the achievement.

This was why James felt fairly confident plopping herself down next to a tired Lily Evans around three days until the big day itself.

"Alright there?" James asked the maiden with the bright, green eyes.

She looked up to him with a distracted looking smile. All the same, James felt a small flutter move inside him. He'd like to think that he would've received that smile even if it wasn't nearing Christmas. But with Lily, you could never be sure.

"Ah great. Just the person who can help me." Lily said, closing her book with a quick snap which made James wonder if she'd even been working at all.

"I can?" James asked, pulling up one eyebrow. Lily continued on as if he had not said a word.

"I was just wondering..." She bit the end of her quill, an air surrounding her which was almost worthy to Pandora Lovegood. James was wondering where she was going with this.

She leaned forward across the table and leant her head on her hands.

"What house would I be in if I hadn't been in Gryffindor?" She asked eagerly.

James thought for a moment before deciding.

"Slytherin, definitely."

"Oi!"

"I'm joking! I'm joking..." He said while trailing off into laughter at the pouty look on her face which in any other girl he would have thought was border lining into flirting.

She leaned back in her chair huffing.

"Not all Slytherins are even that bad you know. Aleah Trent is a Slytherin in 6th year and I'll let you know she's a lovely girl." She defended.

"Too bad our year seemed to have gotten on the slimey gits."James scowled.

"Well I suppose I can't fight you on that one," Lily scrunched up her nose. "That Avery bloke isn't my favourite."

"Oh really? Because I heard a rumour you'd asked him to go with you to Slughorn's Christmas party." James teased.

"Hmm actually I decided on the giant squid." Lily said absentmindedly.

"Well at least he would probably be a better kisser," he pointed.

A small smile escaped Lily's lips which she seemed to be struggling to contain from exploding into a grin as she looked at James.

"So." It was now James's turn to lean forward. "What would I be?"

"What?" Lily asked, seemingly forgotten about the topic which they were discussing moments before.

"What house would I be in?"

Lily paused for a moment.

"I honestly don't think you could be in any house but Gryffindor." She said plainly.

"Really?" James smirked. "Is it because you think I look so hot in red?"

Lily just snorted.

"Well you certainly seem to think so." She really laughed this time. James felt that same flutter. He really wish that stupid butterfly which had recently taken home in his chest would close its damn wings.

"I do not!" He said, getting his thoughts back on track.

"He's telling the truth Lily." Said a voice which was coming from behind him. James turned around to see Remus speaking. "None of us could even think of admiring ourselves with Sirius in our dormitory hogging all the mirrors to look at his hair." He sighed. "I don't know what we're going to do with him." He said feigning concern.

"Remus!" Lily said, her face lighting up with an idea. James almost expected to see a lightbulb floating above her red waves. "What house d'you reckon I'd be in if I wasn't in Gryffindor?"

Lily certainly seemed to be in a chatty mood tonight. James took a moment to thank God for Christmas.

"Probably Hufflepuff, I guess." Remus shrugged. "Y'know because... Er... You do stuff for people even when you don't have to you know? You're nice and stuff." He finished awkwardly.

Lily laughed. And even though James knew Remus fancied someone else and he and Lily were strictly friends, James couldn't help feeling a slight twinge in his stomach which was not nearly as pleasant as the feeling before.

No matter how much he wished it wasn't there.

"See James? Remus knows the right thing to say." Lily laughed. James couldn't help himself laughing a little too because he knew she was only teasing.

However Remus interrupted them,

"Why, what did you say?" He asked James. Appearing a little nervous for his sake.

Trying to control her laughter Lily interrupted, "He told me I should be in Slytherin."

Moony looked horrified.

"James, that is not how you win over a girl." He said, a small smile creeping onto his face.

James, being very conscious that Lily was right there was quick to defend himself.

"I'm not trying to win her over!" His outburst made Lily fall into her laughing fit once again.

"Right." Remus said, clearly not believing him in the slightest. "Listen, I came over here because Sirius wants me to tell you to meet him in the hallway in ten minutes or he's going to the kitchens without you."

"Can you ask him if he'll-"

"And he's not bringing anything back for you if you don't come" Remus added firmly.

James sighed, "Suppose I'll go then. I have been craving some Christmas pudding." He said while slowly standing up and patting his stomach.

Lily had stopped laughing now. There was a sort of different type of look on her face all of a sudden.

He had started to walk away before she called him back.

"James?" She asked, hesitantly.

He wondered if her chattiness had actually been just an effect of nervousness of what she'd been building up to say at this moment.

"Yeah Lily?" He couldn't keep the tiredness from his voice as he spoke. Year seven NEWTS seemed to do this to him and it was nearing 11:00.

She paused before speaking.

"Do you want to come to Slughorn's Christmas party with me?"

James nearly fell over.

"I'm not sure if you're a better kisser than the Giant Squid but I'm not too sure how to fit him in a suit so I thought I better look for another option." She attempted to say as a joke.

James was rather taken aback by this sudden request. He was surely hallucinating. Something from lack of sleep... He hadn't been planning on going seeing he didn't have an invite but. This was Lily asking. The butterfly in his chest seem to have taken flight.

Seeing as James hadn't replied yet she seemed to take this as a sign to continue.

"Just as friends of course, I mean we have been getting on rather well lately and I'll admit you've deflated your head quite a bit... But I knew you weren't going I thought you'd like to so..." She finished lamely.

She was almost rambling and the whole situation was so sudden he didn't know what to say.

"So... Friends right?" He asked.

"Friends." Lily said firmly but appearing relieved he had decided to speak.

James might've felt disappointed if she hadn't said what she'd said next.

But, as Remus put it, wheres a better place to win me over?" She smirked. "Also, you do need to prove I made the right choice. Y'know, you being a better kisser than the giant squid."

James couldn't hold back the grin which exploded on his face.

"See you at 8:00 Common Room?" He asked, regaining his composure.

Lily, with all her hesitation gone away popped a cherry in her mouth from the bowl on the table before saying. "Couldn't think of a better place." She smiled.

On that note, James turned away from the girl wearing a green Christmas sweater with a beam etched deeply into his face. Because even though Lily had said friends, she clearly hadn't meant it.

As he passed a group of enchanted Angel ornaments, they began to sing.

(( Woo finally got a festive one shot up! I plan to write one more Christmas themed one shot (bc favourite time of the year) which I will update before Christmas (hopefully) or on Christmas Day. Or maybe I'll continue this one idk.

Also THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 35K. Your comments and votes are my favourite things guys ahh thank you so much xx.

Anyway I hope you enjoy this one shot and you're having a good holiday! :)) bc I actually sort of liked this one and liked be ending ;). also sorry for the extra long authors note oops.