Seasons' Greetings 2011 ♥ A Gift for beedaily
Title: When My Heart Finds Christmas
Author: escribo
Recipient: beedaily
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 1326
Warnings: none.
Summary: One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don't clean it up too quickly. --Andy Rooney
Author's Note: Thanks to kiltsandlollies for the beta, and the mods for running a great fest.
"The lads will be here soon." James spoke against the shell of Lily's ear as he dragged the tips of his cold fingers over Lily's shoulder and down her spine. She shivered against him, and could feel when he smiled. He pressed his lips to the top of her head before he stretched to the pull the soft blanket from the couch and tucked it around her body. "I told them to be here at half past three and it's nearly that now."
"I suppose we should tidy up a bit," Lily said around a yawn, but made no move to get up, only just settled further in the circle of James' arms.
The fire had burned down since James had lit it early that morning, laughing as he tugged her from their bed to open presents. It was her first away from home, her family. Though she knew her parents had gone to Majorca and Petunia would be with Vernon's family (and she could only imagine how much fun that would be), it had still hurt some, knowing nothing would ever be the same as it had been when she was a child. James had made it better, as he somehow always managed to do.
"Do you really like it?" He asked, his voice a whisper as he interrupted her thoughts.
Lily turned in his arms, the blanket slipping off her bare shoulders, and he caught it, pulled her closer. They moved together onto their sides to face one another, and James slid his thigh between her legs. He kissed her gently, his hand slipping through her hair and combing through the tangles he'd put in it earlier. When he pulled away, she held up her hand, twisting it this way and that, so the emerald ring on her finger sparkled in the dying firelight.
"Yes," she answered finally, quietly, thoughtfully. James had asked her to marry him at least once a week since they were in fifth year. She had never believed him until this morning, when he'd nervously knelt at her feet and stumbled over his words, his usual confidence evaporating as if it'd been banished. It'd been unexpected, and charming, and Lily had burst into tears before he could finish asking her his question.
"You wouldn't rather have a diamond instead?"
"No."
"I know your sister has--"
"No. I love it." Lily kissed James before he could say anything else, and then rested her head on his shoulder. "Did the boys help you pick it out?"
"No," James said quickly, taking her hand to look at the ring, and then he dipped his head. "Well, they came with me when I went to pick it out, but I knew when I saw it."
"It's beautiful."
"It reminded me of your eyes, that bright, clear green," James said as he let go of her hand and gently swept his thumb over the sensitive skin beneath her eye. "Sirius called me a sap, but Remus said I had better buy it."
"Always listen to Remus," Lily teased, laughing when she felt James' laugh against her neck.
"Remus would agree. He's been telling me that since we were fourteen." James rolled on top of Lily, pinning her down as he kissed her throat, her jaw. "And you don't think we're too young?"
"No," she whispered. They were only seven months out of school, and for a while Lily had thought she would go to university, but not now. The war they had feared had come, and where before it had seemed they had all the time in the world to flirt and tease, Lily wasn't as sure now. James smoothed his hand over Lily's hair once more before he cupped her cheek, staring into her eyes, his own reflecting her worry. Lily forced herself to smile, to laugh again, as she shook her head. "Not anymore."
"And your parents?"
"Adore you."
"They don't, but I think your father is coming around."
"He will, they both will," Lily said, certain of it. Petunia, she knew, would never come 'round, but her mother already had. She thought James charming, dashing--impossibly noble, just like Lily did. She slowly ran her foot up and down over James' calf and tugged as his messy hair. "They'll come to love you as much as I do."
"Hello! Merry Christmas," A voice called from the fire, and green flames burst bright in the grate. A second later Sirius came through the floo. "Are you decent?"
"Never!" James called back as he scrambled for the blanket that had slipped down past their waists. He pulled it over Lily, giving her a wicked grin. "I told you we should have the floo disconnected."
"As if that would stop him."
"Is that any way to talk to Father Christmas? Moony has told me all about him, by the way. I can't believe no one told me before." Sirius shifted the tower of precariously balanced packages in his arms so he could look down at them. He had a tall pointed witches' hat he'd charmed red that he wore tipped to one side, managing to look handsome even in that. "She said yes, then."
"Turn your back, Black!" Lily covered her face with her hands and laughed as the floo burst to life again.
"Did she say yes?" Remus asked as he tumbled through the fire and into Sirius, scattering ash and gifts all over their front room. "Merlin, Lily, you're naked."
Lily laughed harder, James collapsed on top of her, as Remus turned on his heels and looked up at the ceiling. He reached back to grab Sirius' shoulder and tug him away as well. Lily wrapped her arms around James' neck and kissed him soundly on the lips before she hit his shoulder to make him get up. "Yes! I said yes! Stay there, both of you."
"Of course, she said yes," James said as he stood, helping Lily to her feet and then wrapping the blanket more firmly around her shoulders. "Who thought she wouldn't say yes?"
"You!" Remus and Sirius shouted in unison.
"And Peter. Isn't he here yet? He owes me five galleons."
"You bet on this?"
"We could come back later." Remus offered, already edging back toward the floo with Sirius in tow.
"No! Stay here. I'll just--" Lily laughed again as she reached for James for one final kiss. "Mad, the lot of you. I'll only be a moment."
Lily escaped to the bedroom, closing the door behind her, and leaned against it. She could hear Sirius and Remus congratulating James, and laughed again to herself as she held her hand out to admire her ring one more time. Mrs. Lily Potter, she whispered, vowing to stop biting her nails down to the quick. Everything would change--had changed already, but it was easy to believe that with James at her side, everything would be all right.
"It's me, Lily. Let me in." Lily brushed at her cheeks, surprised and not by the tears as she opened the door to let James in. "Are you all right?" he whispered. "I could ask them to take a walk around the block if you'd like."
"I'm all right. I just-- I'm just so happy, James. Does that sound stupid?"
"Of course not." James cupped her face again, brushing away the tears on her cheeks with his thumbs before he kissed her gently at first, and then hungrily, the blanket falling away between them. When they broke apart, his eyes were bright and he pulled her tight against him "I'm happy, too, Lily, and I meant what I said. It'll always be like this, Lily. I'll always love you for as long as I draw breath, I promise."
Lily nodded, the tears back unbidden, and she laughed through them as she tossed her arms around his neck again. "I love you, too, James. Merry Christmas."
Author: escribo
Recipient: beedaily
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 1326
Warnings: none.
Summary: One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don't clean it up too quickly. --Andy Rooney
Author's Note: Thanks to kiltsandlollies for the beta, and the mods for running a great fest.
"The lads will be here soon." James spoke against the shell of Lily's ear as he dragged the tips of his cold fingers over Lily's shoulder and down her spine. She shivered against him, and could feel when he smiled. He pressed his lips to the top of her head before he stretched to the pull the soft blanket from the couch and tucked it around her body. "I told them to be here at half past three and it's nearly that now."
"I suppose we should tidy up a bit," Lily said around a yawn, but made no move to get up, only just settled further in the circle of James' arms.
The fire had burned down since James had lit it early that morning, laughing as he tugged her from their bed to open presents. It was her first away from home, her family. Though she knew her parents had gone to Majorca and Petunia would be with Vernon's family (and she could only imagine how much fun that would be), it had still hurt some, knowing nothing would ever be the same as it had been when she was a child. James had made it better, as he somehow always managed to do.
"Do you really like it?" He asked, his voice a whisper as he interrupted her thoughts.
Lily turned in his arms, the blanket slipping off her bare shoulders, and he caught it, pulled her closer. They moved together onto their sides to face one another, and James slid his thigh between her legs. He kissed her gently, his hand slipping through her hair and combing through the tangles he'd put in it earlier. When he pulled away, she held up her hand, twisting it this way and that, so the emerald ring on her finger sparkled in the dying firelight.
"Yes," she answered finally, quietly, thoughtfully. James had asked her to marry him at least once a week since they were in fifth year. She had never believed him until this morning, when he'd nervously knelt at her feet and stumbled over his words, his usual confidence evaporating as if it'd been banished. It'd been unexpected, and charming, and Lily had burst into tears before he could finish asking her his question.
"You wouldn't rather have a diamond instead?"
"No."
"I know your sister has--"
"No. I love it." Lily kissed James before he could say anything else, and then rested her head on his shoulder. "Did the boys help you pick it out?"
"No," James said quickly, taking her hand to look at the ring, and then he dipped his head. "Well, they came with me when I went to pick it out, but I knew when I saw it."
"It's beautiful."
"It reminded me of your eyes, that bright, clear green," James said as he let go of her hand and gently swept his thumb over the sensitive skin beneath her eye. "Sirius called me a sap, but Remus said I had better buy it."
"Always listen to Remus," Lily teased, laughing when she felt James' laugh against her neck.
"Remus would agree. He's been telling me that since we were fourteen." James rolled on top of Lily, pinning her down as he kissed her throat, her jaw. "And you don't think we're too young?"
"No," she whispered. They were only seven months out of school, and for a while Lily had thought she would go to university, but not now. The war they had feared had come, and where before it had seemed they had all the time in the world to flirt and tease, Lily wasn't as sure now. James smoothed his hand over Lily's hair once more before he cupped her cheek, staring into her eyes, his own reflecting her worry. Lily forced herself to smile, to laugh again, as she shook her head. "Not anymore."
"And your parents?"
"Adore you."
"They don't, but I think your father is coming around."
"He will, they both will," Lily said, certain of it. Petunia, she knew, would never come 'round, but her mother already had. She thought James charming, dashing--impossibly noble, just like Lily did. She slowly ran her foot up and down over James' calf and tugged as his messy hair. "They'll come to love you as much as I do."
"Hello! Merry Christmas," A voice called from the fire, and green flames burst bright in the grate. A second later Sirius came through the floo. "Are you decent?"
"Never!" James called back as he scrambled for the blanket that had slipped down past their waists. He pulled it over Lily, giving her a wicked grin. "I told you we should have the floo disconnected."
"As if that would stop him."
"Is that any way to talk to Father Christmas? Moony has told me all about him, by the way. I can't believe no one told me before." Sirius shifted the tower of precariously balanced packages in his arms so he could look down at them. He had a tall pointed witches' hat he'd charmed red that he wore tipped to one side, managing to look handsome even in that. "She said yes, then."
"Turn your back, Black!" Lily covered her face with her hands and laughed as the floo burst to life again.
"Did she say yes?" Remus asked as he tumbled through the fire and into Sirius, scattering ash and gifts all over their front room. "Merlin, Lily, you're naked."
Lily laughed harder, James collapsed on top of her, as Remus turned on his heels and looked up at the ceiling. He reached back to grab Sirius' shoulder and tug him away as well. Lily wrapped her arms around James' neck and kissed him soundly on the lips before she hit his shoulder to make him get up. "Yes! I said yes! Stay there, both of you."
"Of course, she said yes," James said as he stood, helping Lily to her feet and then wrapping the blanket more firmly around her shoulders. "Who thought she wouldn't say yes?"
"You!" Remus and Sirius shouted in unison.
"And Peter. Isn't he here yet? He owes me five galleons."
"You bet on this?"
"We could come back later." Remus offered, already edging back toward the floo with Sirius in tow.
"No! Stay here. I'll just--" Lily laughed again as she reached for James for one final kiss. "Mad, the lot of you. I'll only be a moment."
Lily escaped to the bedroom, closing the door behind her, and leaned against it. She could hear Sirius and Remus congratulating James, and laughed again to herself as she held her hand out to admire her ring one more time. Mrs. Lily Potter, she whispered, vowing to stop biting her nails down to the quick. Everything would change--had changed already, but it was easy to believe that with James at her side, everything would be all right.
"It's me, Lily. Let me in." Lily brushed at her cheeks, surprised and not by the tears as she opened the door to let James in. "Are you all right?" he whispered. "I could ask them to take a walk around the block if you'd like."
"I'm all right. I just-- I'm just so happy, James. Does that sound stupid?"
"Of course not." James cupped her face again, brushing away the tears on her cheeks with his thumbs before he kissed her gently at first, and then hungrily, the blanket falling away between them. When they broke apart, his eyes were bright and he pulled her tight against him "I'm happy, too, Lily, and I meant what I said. It'll always be like this, Lily. I'll always love you for as long as I draw breath, I promise."
Lily nodded, the tears back unbidden, and she laughed through them as she tossed her arms around his neck again. "I love you, too, James. Merry Christmas."