Chapter 19

"James!" Nora whispered furiously, pushing him as he groaned, rubbing his eyes as he turned over, his eyes fluttering open as he saw the wide grin decorating her lips, and with a groan he reached up, clasping his hand over her mouth and pulling her back down onto his bed.

"Go back to sleep, Nora," he grumbled, yawning as he spoke, "the sleepover is still in session."

"No!" she groaned, turning to face him restlessly, "it's Christmas, James!"

"So?!"

"So, we need to get up, I need to see what Aubrey got me!" she exclaimed, an impatient sigh falling from her lips as she sat cross legged, tapping her fingertips on his bare chest, "this isn't fair, James Potter, get up!"

"You'll see what Aubrey got you later, it'll still be there," he grumbles, "come on, love, just go back to sleep."

"You look odd without glasses," she commented, reaching over him to grab his glasses and soon where they on her face, allowing her eyes to squint as she blinked through the blurriness, "I thought glasses where supposed to help you see!"

"You don't need glasses, Nora," James chuckled, finally sitting up and taking the glasses from her face, placing them on his own, finally able to see the wide grin on the Hufflepuff's lips as she nodded.

"Much better!"

"What time is it?" he asked, watching the sheepish smile decorate her lips, and soon, when he went to check the watch that sat on his bedside table did she pounce, jumping forward suddenly so that he couldn't see the watch, grabbing it from the table and throwing it to Sirius' bed.

"Nora Robinson, what time is it?" James asked, glaring at the girl who shrugged her shoulders.

"Morning."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fairly positive that it's morning," she nodded, "it's dark outside because it's winter."

"Nora-"

"I'm not lying, look!" she exclaimed, "gesturing to the window, see, it's dark!"

"I promise I won't be mad if you tell me the truth," he spoke, watching her eyes narrow ever so slightly as she thought, finally lifting her hand and sticking out her pinky.

"You promise?"

"Hope to die if I tell a lie," he laughed softly, a yawn escaping his lips as he wrapped his pinky around hers, "now tell me."

She allowed her shoulders to slump as she pulled the quilt over her, "it's three."

"Three in the morning?!" he exclaimed, wide eyed, "merlin, Nora, goodness sake!"

"You promised you wouldn't be mad," she frowned, moving closer to wrap her arm around him, oblivious to how adorable that was, James simply couldn't stay mad, his shoulders slumping as he looked down at her.

"Having trouble sleeping, love?" he asked, tracing his fingers along her forehead, through her hair as she nodded.

"Elijah loved Christmas," she mumbled quietly, tensing ever so slightly as he pulled her closer, gesturing for her to continue which she did, hesitantly, "we would always get up early, maybe not as early as this but we would barely sleep anyway, we'd just talk about what we thought we'd be getting, if it were a new toy that we had been raving about or a book, or anything, we would just be so excited.

We'd finally agree on a time to get up, usually around half four, because four was pushing it, according to him," Nora laughed softly, reaching for James' hand, "and we'd sneak into my parents room, giggling as we done so in our best attempts not to wake them, and then we'd pounce, jumping on their bed loudly, laughing and having a blast, and soon would they tackle us, laughing with us and soon we'd get up, and after we got our presents we'd be so tired that we would just sleep on the couch for hours until mum would wake us up."

James was silent as he wiped the tear she hadn't even realised spilled, frowning at the holiday that should be celebrated with happiness used to allow her tears. He hated that she had been through so much pain, so much hurt that someone as kind, as amazing as Nora shouldn't have went through.

"Come on," James whispered, suddenly standing up and reaching for a shirt that he had lying on his floor, soon pulling it over his head as Nora watched him curiously, frowning as he turned to her, gesturing for her to get up.

"Where are we going?" she asked, slipping on her slippers over her feet, standing up, "it's three in the morning, James."

"Yes, and you can't sleep," he sighed, reaching for her hand, "when I couldn't sleep, mum would always give me hot chocolate to calm me down, you'd think with something so sugary I'd just be bouncing off of the walls but the warm milk in it helps you sleep, even with the excitement."

"Really?!"

"Yes," he laughed, pulling her along as they quietly exited the dormitory, "I'm sure the house elves will be alright with it."

"If they aren't sleeping," Nora frowned.

"No, they're fine, they're almost always awake," James chuckled, "mum sent me a letter yesterday, her and dad are away to this weird romantic getaway thing."

Nora couldn't help the giggles that spilled from her lips, clasping her hand over her mouth to stop herself, "oh merlin," she gasped, "I want to meet your parents, they seem great."

"Oh, they are!" James grinned, nodding enthusiastically, "they'd love you, mum especially, I think, she'd probably steal you."

"What?!" Nora laughed, "why?"

"Because you're amazing," James shrugged, pulling her closer to him, "I really wouldn't blame her."

"You're an idiot," Nora whispered, laughing softly as she looked up at him, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek as they made their way to the kitchens.

"But I'm your best friend, so technically that makes me your idiot," James pointed out, watching the laugh fall from Nora's lips as she nodded, a grin attacking her lips.

"You caught me there," she giggled.

-

"Nora, wake up!" James laughed, shaking the girl gently as he hovered over her, hearing her groan suddenly, turning over as she pulled the quilt further over her head, trying to ignore his voice that floated through her ears, "are you kidding me, you wake me up at three, but can't even get up at a normal time?!"

He looked around the room for anything to help him, seeing his wand on the table he thought of any spell he could do, but nothing was coming to mind amidst his excitement. He wasn't so much excited for the presents that his parents had gotten him, but rather, the present he had gotten for Nora, he was ecstatic that it was finally the day that he was able to give her it.

He couldn't wait to see her reaction, it was why he done anything really, why he bought her sweets from Honeydukes, or surprised her, because her reaction, that smile, merlin her smile was always able to put one on his lips. he craved her smile, her laugh that went along with it, and the redness that decorated her cheeks, it was a lovely sight, one that he could stare at forever.

He really wouldn't mind.

"Nora Robinson, I will carry you downstairs," he warned, moving her face as he ignored her protests, "please wake up, love."

"No," she mumbled, pulling on his hand to lie down, situating her head atop of his chest, and soon was her soft breaths fanning his skin, "just sleep."

"I thought you were excited?" he asked, a laugh tumbling from his lips, he really could stay here, merlin he wanted to, but the thought of Nora's reaction was one he longed to see, and to see that, he would have to get her up.

"For what?" she grumbled, nuzzling closer to her best friend, sighing as her eyes fluttered open, seeing the grin on his lips and his eyes hidden behind his glasses.

What a sight to wake up to, she thought, a smile decorating her lips.

"For Christmas!" James exclaimed, "don't you want your present?"

"I thought my present was Honeydukes?" she asked, a yawn escaping her lips as she sat up, her legs crossing as she leaned on.

"No, I said that Honeydukes was part of your present," James laughed, "now for your main present, I think you'll like it."

"You do?" she asked, forcing herself to stand up, pulling on her slippers, and soon did she stroll to James' trunk, hiding herself as though he wasn't already watching her, and soon did she pull out one of his hoodies, slipping it over her head with a grin, "okay, I'm ready!"

He was to excited to be mad, and even at that, he wouldn't have been in the slightest, anyway, the sight of her in his clothes was like a masterpiece.

She was a masterpiece.

"Come on, love," James chuckled, shaking his head as he reached for her hand, pulling her along out of his dormitory.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," she giggled, descending the stairs behind him, entering the common room of the Gryffindor tower that was already decorated for Christmas, with a tree in the corner, decorated with tinsel, and lights, and bobbles, and a new edition in the form of multiple gifts.

The fire roared from the fireplace, sending the new-found warmth to engulf them as James guided her over to the sofa, he hadn't the faintest interest in any of the presents that he had, over the course of his life, he had had plenty of presents, he didn't need anything else, he didn't want anything else.

Apart from Nora Robinson, but that was a whole other story.

"I think you're more excited than I am," Nora giggled, shaking her head as James laughed, nodding his.

"I am, for yours," he grinned, "I wanted to get you something that I know you would love, that you would use, I can't deny that it was a bloody pain trying to find it through letters, seeing as I had to get my bloody mum to get it, and she's as clueless as I am when it comes to muggles."

"Oh merlin," Nora chuckled, crossing her legs as she watched James move to the tree, examining each box closely until he picked up the one he was looking for.

"I had some help from Adria too, seeing as she knows what she is talking about, and if you don't like it, then it's alright, you don't need to keep it-"

"James, I already love it," she laughed, watching the smile fall onto his lips as he took a step forward, suddenly feeling rather nervous that there was even the remote possibility that she wouldn't like the present that he got for her.

He handed her the box, watching closely, intently as she ripped pieces of the wrapping paper open, soon, finally sitting with the box on her lap, showing her clearly what it was that James had spent time getting.

She felt her heart racing, the emotions running wild, her mind too, that James had even remembered her saying that she wanted one, that it was a goal of hers to be able to get one, but being able to afford one was a different story.

She couldn't believe it, she couldn't believe how someone could be so incredible, someone like James Potter, who, before fifth year, she barely glanced at, could have so much of an impact on her life so suddenly.

That the boy with the messy black hair and black rimmed glasses in which hazel eyes lived behind had bought her, with his own money, a camera.

"J-James, you didn't," she gasped, furiously wiping her tears, shaking her head in disbelief, she had a tight grip on the box, resting her head on it as the tears streamed down her face, completely oblivious to the worry settling in James' stomach as he pushed himself forward, sitting down beside her and reaching for her hand.

"Do you not like it?!" he asked, wide eyed, "is it the wrong one? Oh merlin, Nora I'm so sorry!"

She sat the box done as she stared at him, seeing the worry in his eyes, and hearing him rambling, she was speechless, simply unable to form the words to tell him how incredibly grateful, how incredibly lucky she was to have him in her life, "I wanted to do something nice for you, seeing as if anyone deserved it, then it would be you, oh merlin, it would be, but look at me, I had to go and ru-"

She cut him off suddenly, she was unable to form words, but she simply couldn't stop herself from pushing herself forward until she was leaning in front of him and soon was her lips on his, her hand cupping his cheek as she savoured the perfect feeling of his soft lips, ones she had thought about countlessly, now locked with hers.

He stood suddenly, with her lips still on his, and soon did his hand find her lower back, pulling her closer to him as the other tangled in her curls, allowing no space between them as their lips moved in sync. Her other hand moved to his neck, her finger tips tracing over his skin until she moved them into his hair, feeling the softness between her fingers.

Her tongue swept across his bottom lip, pushing herself onto her tiptoes in a best attempt at getting closer to him, feeling his tongue against hers, dancing for dominance that he overruled, wanting the feeling of her just as much, if not more than she did, his heart was beating in his chest faster than he thought possible, so was hers, their breaths tangling together as the soft moan of pleasure bubbled from Nora's throat, falling into James' mouth as they stood in the Gryffindor common room early on Christmas morning.

The fire illuminated the two as they stood, playing a symphony with their tongues with one another, gripping onto each other as best as they could, holding each other in their arms in a best attempt to get closer, but that was simply impossible.

She had ran out of air as she very reluctantly pulled away from him, his forehead resting on hers as he stared at her, panting, his eyes searching hers for any regret, but he couldn't see past the adoration that shone back at him.

"I don't think anything could beat that Christmas present," James whispered, watching the grin form on the girls face as he attacked her lips with his own once again.