“What are you doing in my bedroom?” Lily Evans hissed as she walked into her bedroom to see her sister leaning against the window frame, peering down outside. It was certainly a sight to behold, her sister actually inside her bedroom by choice. Usually she avoided it, claiming it was full of ‘freak stuff’ that she didn’t want to be a part of. It was the reason the two had stopped sharing a room when Lily had turned 12.
“Don’t you have a date with Vermin or something to get ready for?” She couldn’t help but snicker at the scathing glare Petunia sent her when Lily used her nickname for her sister’s boyfriend. It suited him, though, or Lily thought so. Vernon Dursley really was a piece of Vermin.
“It’s Vernon, you freak." Petunia spat at her sister, her voice dripping with venom. “And there’s a boy outside.” She sniffed in distaste as she looked down at her younger sister, before looking back outside, going back to practically drooling. “God he’s gorgeous.”
Lily wandered over to her bed and sat down, pulling her favourite book out from under her pillow. She didn’t really bother glancing out the window then. The boys Petunia fancied were absolutely vile, Vernon was proof of that. But when she spared a quick glance, not being able to help herself, her heart seemed to stop, and then flip in her chest. James Potter was standing outside her front gate, leaning against the fence post and running a hand through his hair in the sexy way he always did it. “Yeah, he is.” She mumbled, staring at him gob smacked for a moment before shaking her head, trying to snap out of her trance.
Lily tried not to move to quickly as she sat up and leaned closer to the window, wanting to get a better look of the positively gorgeous creature that was leaning now against the mailbox, looking at it with a .confused expression. It wasn’t like she was staring at him…she wasn’t like his mob of fan girls back at Hogwarts. She was just… admiring the view for a moment. It wasn’t like she got to when she was at school. Any time she even glanced at him James got this huge, cocky grin and Lily did not need his ego getting any bigger.
And it seemed that just as she moved to get a better look at him, James looked up at the window. But instead of a cocky grin, as he spotted her, he smiled, a real genuine smile, and waved at her.
Petunia squeaked and covered her mouth. “He’s waving at me…” she gushed, smoothing her hair, which was cut into a disgusting, yellow bob that really didn’t suit her.
Lily stared back at James for a moment, opening her mouth few times to say something, shout at him for being a creepy stalker and just showing up at her house, or maybe even say hello, but before she could muster up anything to say, Petunia was racing downstairs and out the front door to see the gorgeous boy leaning on the fence.
“Wait, Tuney!” Lily started, but it was too late. Not that Petunia would listen anyway. Meekly, Lily tottered down the stairs and followed her out the door, just in time to hear Petunia say, “I’ve got a boyfriend, sorry…but I’m sure one of my friends would love to get to know you.”
James was just grinning at Petunia, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes as he listened to the garbage that Petunia was saying.
“You know, I really don’t think he’d be interested in any of your friends, Tuney. Or, well, I don’t think you’d like the likes of him near your friends.” Lily stated as she walked up beside her sister, giving her sister an amused look.
“Get lost, you freak. I was just telling- James, was it? – that my friend Grace, would be perfect for him.” She twirled a piece of her blonde hair, giving him a flirtatious smile.
Yeah, right. You just want him for yourself. Lily snorted and placed a hand on her sister’s shoulder. “Listen, Tuney, even though Grace is very pretty, and a ginger, which happens to be the type of girl I know James is into, you definitely won’t be introducing them anytime soon.”
“Why wouldn’t I?” Petunia turned her nose up at Lily.
“Because…how do I put this…he’s…” Lily leaned in close to Petunia and wiggled her fingers at her. “A freak!”
Petunia squeaked and stepped backwards, widening her eyes. “You mean…you know him?! And he’s like you? He goes to that freak school?”
Lily gave a witchy cackle and waved her fingers at Petunia. “Hocus pocus, higgily jiggliy…”
Petunia turned on the spot and sprinted back inside. “Mummy! Lily’s doing you know what!”
Lily snorted and shook her head as she watched her sister disappear inside the house, before turning back to James. “Sorry about her…”
James gave a shrug and shoved his hands into the pockets of his trousers, leaning against the letterbox as his smile grew bigger. “It’s no biggie. It was quite funny, really.” He said.
Lily smiled a little, looking at him, before she frowned a bit. “How do you know where I live, Potter?”
James went a bit pink as he thought of an answer to her question. “Erm…Marley told me…” He mumbled, to which Lily groaned and shook her head. “Don’t be mad with her! I forced it out of her.” He said quickly.
Lily crossed arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at him. “Then why are you here?” she asked. “What could you possibly have wanted when you made my best friend give up my address?”
James bit his lip, for a moment his confident mask slipping, showing a nervous boy. But it vanished as quickly as she spotted it, and he pulled a small package out of his pocket, holding it out for her. “Happy Christmas.”
Lily stared at it for a few long moments, and for a moment, James considered taking the package back, embarrassed that she didn’t want it. But then Lily hesitantly reached out and took the package from him. She looked up at him and smiled. “Thank you, James.” She murmured.
James’ cheeks flushed slightly red, and he ran a hand through his messy hair once again.
Lily felt a twinge of guilt that she hadn’t gotten him anything, and bit her lip in thought. “Come inside, James. I have a present for you…” She said.
James’ eyes lit up, but he followed her into the house, trying to flatten his hair, and on the way he almost collided into Mr. Evans.
“Pumpkin, who is this?” He asked, looking at James with amused eyes as he watched James try to make himself look presentable. He hadn’t exactly dressed up to come over.
“This is er, James. A friend from school.” Lily said softly.
Lily’s father stared at James for what seemed like forever, his eyes narrowing as he took in the boy’s messy clothes and his porcupine like hair.
“James, huh?” He asked.
Lily and James both nodded. “It’s nice to meet you, sir.” James said.
“Is this the boy you’re always talking about, pumpkin? The ‘arrogant but totally gorgeous’ one?”
Lily felt her cheeks heat up as James and Mr. Evans started laughing.
James looked over at Lily, a grin splitting his face. “You talk about me with your parents?” He didn’t see the smack coming.
