Christmas Gifts

It was a week before Christmas, 1980. It had snowed the night before, covering the world in a cold, white blanket. The morning air was cold, fresh, and crisp. Diagon Alley was crowded with busy shoppers. The air was filled with a holiday cheer, the looming threat of the Dark Lord seemingly forgotten. Young children ran about the streets, throwing snowballs and laughing--freed for the time being from the ever-present fear of the Death Eaters.

Lily and James Potter walked along the crowded streets. Lily was carrying their five-month-old son, Harry. Harry was staring, wide-eyed, at all the colors and lights and people. For once, the happy couple was trying not to worry about their responsibilities as members of the Order of the Phoenix, and was simply enjoying the holiday season, though both were well aware that it just might be their last.

Suddenly, something caught Lily's eye. She turned to James, saying, "Excuse me for a minute. I'll be right back."

James nodded, though not without a feeling of foreboding. Had she seen some sign of the Dark Lord?

Then James shook his head. She had probably just seen something she wanted to buy him as a Christmas present or something. If it were anything more sinister than that, surely she would have at least given Harry to him. She wouldn't carry their beloved son into what she though might be danger. But he couldn't entirely shake off the fear that something would happen to her.

*****

Narcissa Malfoy walked along Diagon Alley, carrying her son Draco. Lucius was off doing something on Nocturne Alley. Narcissa had argued that Nocturne Alley was no place for a baby, so now she was free to wander Diagon Alley. At least until Lucius finished his business.

She had come here half hoping to run into Lily. It had been ages since they had last seen each other. Not since before Draco and Harry had been born. Though they had exchanged several letters during that time, letters were no substitute to actually seeing each other.

Narcissa was wandering aimlessly through the crowd, lost in her thoughts, when she felt someone tap her shoulder.

She turned and saw Lily standing there, holding a baby in her arm and smiling. Narcissa felt her heart skip a beat. Lily. Lily had hardly changed since the last time Narcissa had seen her, though she looked much more worn. But her long, thick, burgundy hair still fell in waves about her sweet, round face and her bright green eyes had not entirely lost their sparkle. Her face, flushed in the cold winter air, conveyed only happiness without the fear that had lingered in it for so long.

A warm feeling of happiness rose in Narcissa, warming her as it hadn't in... ages.

"Lily," Narcissa said softly.

They went into a small coffee shop, out of the cold.

They talked--as they had so many times before--over some coffee, pointedly avoiding the subject of Voldemort. How were they doing? How was Lucius? What had they been doing lately? Had Lily seen her sister lately? How was James? What were their plans for the holidays? Innocent questions that allowed them to forget, for a little while, that they were on different sides. That this might be the last time they would see each other.

They reminisced about their Hogwarts years. They talked about their sons. They discussed the weather. Anything but Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

And for the first time in months, they both felt almost happy.

*****

James wandered up and down the street, wondering what Lily was doing, wondering if she was okay.

Then he saw her, standing next to Narcissa. Both women's faces reflected the same happiness and love. And the same underlying grief. James looked away as Lily and Narcissa kissed each other with all the love that should have been directed at their respective husbands.

A few moments later, James felt Lily slip her arm through his. He looked at her, and saw--not for the first time--beneath the happiness the quiet sorrow in her eyes. And again he wondered how she could love him when her heart so obviously belonged to another.

But she simply smiled at him and murmured softly, "Let's go home."

*****

Narcissa watched as Lily vanished into the crowd with James. She stood there for a long time, looking after her lover, until Lucius came up to her, and they too went home.

*****

It was Christmas day at Malfoy Manor. They had finished dinner and the guests had all gone home. Narcissa sat in the nursery, rocking her son to sleep.

She looked up at a tap on the window. It was an owl. Lily's owl. She got up, leaving Draco in his crib, and opened the window.

The owl flew in, dropped a small package on Narcissa's chair, and left. Narcissa shut the window behind it and lifted the package. It was wrapped in simple, red paper with green ribbon. Narcissa looked at the slip of paper attached to it.

The note was simple--written in Hebrew, it roughly translated to:

Shalom and happy holidays.

Your Flower

Narcissa opened the package, careful not to rip the paper. Inside was a small, white jewelry box. Within it was a pin--a glass lily. Narcissa's vision blurred with tears as she lifted it out of the box and fastened in to her dress.

She would tell Lucius it was from her sister. He would, of course, know the truth, but would accept the lie as he had accepted the others--unwilling to challenge it because he was unwilling to acknowledge the truth, and for fear of loosing her.

And in return, she would be discrete about wearing the pin and would stand by him in everything.

She brushed away her tears and kissed Draco good-night. Then she went to bed, and dreamed of a paradise in which she and Lily could live happily together... forever.