Tiger Lily

Chapter five- rather a fluff chapter, however…J As always, please leave a review!

Lily awoke sometime early on the first day of Christmas vacation. It was odd not having other girls in the room with her- they had all gone home for the holidays. She yawned and stretched, and wondered what had woken her up. Distantly, vaguely, she could hear laughter coming from somewhere seemingly far away. Pulling on a robe and slipping her feet into slippers, she ran a few fingers through her wild, sleep-tossed mane of hair and wandered downstairs.

She was surprised to see Sirius in the common room, laughing and joking with James and Remus. He looked up when she came into the room and smiled at her. She smiled nervously back.

"Sirius…what are you doing here?" she asked, situating herself between her ex and Remus.

He smiled wider. "Are you that opposed to my presence?' he asked. Lily blushed.

"Of course not!' she stammered. "I was just wondering."

"Ah. Well, in that case…perhaps James should explain,'' he replied, leaning back.

Lily rolled her eyes. "James?"

"Oh. He's staying here for break." Her boyfriend looked over at her. "Is that a problem?" he asked worriedly. Lily shook her head.

"Never, she answered. Sirius smiled.

'Lucius was the only one left in our dorm," he explained, toying with her hair. "I didn't want to spend Christmas with him…so, I asked Dumbledore if I could spend it here, with my friends," he smiled at them all.

"Well, we're glad to have you," Lily said. The others nodded affirmatively. Chatter soon struck up as the four began discussing their plans for break.

************

James watched as his girlfriend made her way into the room. Half of him wondered if inviting Sirius to stay in Gryffindor for the holidays was a mistake…the other half of him was glad. He had a feeling that Sirius and Lucius together for the holidays was going to be anything but warm and cozy. He also wished, with a very small and yet ever-growing part of him, that Sirius would like Gryffindor so much that he would ask Professor Dumbledore if he could switch houses, and then it wouldn't be just Remus and him and Arthur Weasley's younger brother Jacob, but Sirius as well.

However, there was always the part of him that was jealous- jealous that he knew Lily so well, that he could read her when he-James, couldn't. This was the part that had been doubtful when Lily came into the room, and even more so when she sat next to him, instead of next to James. Not that I'm suspicious…no, she and Sirius the couple are over for now…but she and Sirius as friends? Now that's a thought… he thought.

With a start he realized that Lily had been talking to him.

"What?" he asked startled.

"What are you going to do today?" she repeated, leaning forward. James frowned, thinking.

"Oh…I have to retake a test for Professor Vector in Arithmancy…and catch up on some homework that I missed those days I was absent from her and Professor Binn's classes. That's about it." He replied. He had been absent due to an unruly cough that had kept him bedridden in the hospital wing for several days.

"Okay…how about you Remus?" she asked, turning to face her towheaded friend.

"Same as James only with twice the amount of work…" he grinned ruefully. "All this time away keeps the homework piling up," he said.

"Is Peter here?" she asked. The boys looked at each other and then shook their heads.

"Don't think so," Remus replied after a pregnant pause.

"Alright then. Sirius," she looked over at him. "I have a slight dilemma." Sirius looked up from where he had been braiding her hair. James threw a glare his way and he dropped the stands of hair. "I need help picking gifts for some people," she threw meaningful glances towards Remus and James. "Can you come to Hogsmeade with me and help me out?" Seeing indecision in his eyes, she decided to add in the puppy dog eyes. "Please?"

"Oh alright. Today, you said?" he asked, sitting up. Lily nodded. "Okay. When do you want to go?"

"The sooner the better!" Lily said decisively. "I have a lot of shopping to do anyway."

"Me too," Sirius admitted.

"Okay," Lily jumped to her feet. "Let's go!" They were halfway to the door when Remus' voice stopped her.

"Dear heart," Remus began, laughing. "Do you mean to tell me that you want to go parading around Hogsmeade in your pajamas?" Lily looked down at her clothing ensemble and blushed.

"I meant after I got dressed… oh stop laughing James! You too Sirius! Ought to be ashamed, letting me head right on out without being properly dressed! I know two people who are getting coal in their stockings!" She exclaimed.

The boys turned to each other in mock horror. "You mean Santy Clause isn't going to give us any presents this year?" Sirius asked, feigning shock.

"I think I might cry," James added theatrically.

"Oh, shut up you two, it's not like this information is anything new," Remus teased.

"Well, since we're so bad already what's to stop us from being worse?" Sirius had that glint in his eyes. Lily suddenly began to back towards the staircase at a very fast rate. James caught on.

"Yeah…" The look must have been contagious, because now all of the boys were wearing it. "Come on!"

Lily shrieked and ran as the boys chased her, dodging around armchairs and hopping over tables. Sirius, who had the longest legs, was the first to catch her. Laughing he wrestled her to floor, tickling her mercilessly.

"Help!" she screamed through her laughter. "Help him! I mean me! Stop it Sirius!" she howled.

Remus and James looked at each other. "Did she say help 'him'?" Remus asked, a smile hovering on his lips.

"Let's go!" James whooped, joining Sirius.

'Help, someone help!" Lily laughed.

"There's no one else here!" James said in an evil voice.

"Muahahahaha!" Remus laughed. Sirius just grinned.

About a half and hour later they were done teasing, and allowed her up to go and get dressed. They sat about in the common room, laughing and teasing each other, and swapping 'manly' stories…or as manly as fourteen and fifteen year-olds could get.

**********

The Hogsmeade Christmas market was a hive of activity. Carolers sang cheerily near the brick buildings, shoppers tittered over prices, children played with the bright new snow.

Sirius and Lily walked arm and arm- the act being so familiar that neither thought to question it. Almost as if they were lovers again, the said little, happy to be alone and in each other's presence.

"Oh Sirius! Look!" Lily squealed, dropping his arm and rushing over to a market stall. She held up a warm, thick, woolen sweater, bright red. Her eyes sparkled as she turned to show him. "This is so Remus!" she said. "Don't you think?"

Sirius smiled. "Seems you got him pinned down there, Tigress," he replied, running a hand over the sweater. It felt very soft and cozy. Something Lily would probably like as well. That's the reason I came, to find her a present, he thought, suddenly restless. However, he knew better than to leave Lily alone when there was shopping to be done. She would spend enough money to empty his, James', Remus' and Peter's Gringotts vaults together.

She faced him again, her money bag slightly lighter, a bag hanging on her arm. Sirius was no fool- he knew that by the end of this experience there would likely be four more bags, plus the ones he would no doubt be carrying for her.

They wandered, drunk with Christmas spirit. She bought gifts for James and Peter, gifts for her parents, her sister- "although she's undeserving", Lily had said- even her favorite teacher (Professor Vector). Sirius thoughtfully picked up a gift for McGonagall as well, a pretty snowglobe for her to put on her desk. He got James and Remus both presents as well, carefully choosing to make sure that they neither exceeded nor equaled the ones Lily had gotten- if they had, she would have to have gone back and reselected new present, and frankly, Sirius was not prepared to deal with it.

At last it was two o' clock. Lily, exhausted, stared despairingly at a long line of people in line at the Three Broomsticks.

"We'll be here forever!" she moaned, setting her bags down.

"Hey, listen Lils, you hold a place for us okay?" Sirius said, leading her over to the line. "I have to get yo-"

"Wait a second, you haven't gotten me a present yet?" Lily interrupted.

Sirius made a quick recovery. "I never said that," he replied smoothly. "I said I had to get a yo- that doesn't mean you. What I was trying to say, is that I have to get a…uh…yo-yo…yeah. For Peter," he finished. Lily eyed him suspiciously.

"Alright," she said reluctantly. "Go ahead. Doubtless I'll be here when you come back." Sirius smiled.

"Thanks sweet!" he called, heading back out into the wintry sunshine.

Once outside he had to admit he didn't know where to go. There seemed to be boundless shops and stalls that he could go to, to look for her present. For a few minutes he walked back up and down the road, reviewing things he had passed by earlier, and of course, picking up yo-yo for Peter, who liked Muggle toys. Suddenly a glimpse of bright reds and purples caught his eye, and he hurried up the street to where a brightly colored cart sat. No customers were there.

Glittering from all angles were glass figurines, trinkets, jewelry and other wares. He gently set a wind chime into motion as a grizzled old lady appeared out of no where.

"Hello, my son," she said, leaning over the windowsill. "May I help you?"

Sirius paused. "Well…I'm looking for a Christmas present." The lady nodded.

"Who for dearie?"

"Well…an ex-girlfriend, but still a friend," he replied. Something about this place and it's lack of shoppers made him uneasy, but he pushed the feeling aside. "What do you have for me?"

She pointed out all kinds of pretty trinkets- little statues, pretty hanging decorations, a prism necklace. All of these he looked at, and all of them he said no to. At last she pulled out the last of her wares.

"This is all I got left. Kind of odd it is, never found an owner for it though I've had it near ten years. Care to take a look?" she held something out. Sirius peered doubtfully at it, yet took it nonetheless.

It was an odd thing, resembling a narrow, straight vase. At the bottom was a platform, and on the platform, one on each side, was a figure that looked remotely like it could be formed into a human being. Sirius examined it, feeling some sort of unimaginable feeling in the odd creation. He whirled it suddenly in the air, tossing it up and watching as the sun caught it's faceted sides, throwing rainbows into the snow. The old lady shrieked, clearly afraid he would drop it, but instead Sirius caught it easily. Then and there he decided to take it.

"How much?" he asked, setting the vase on the sill. The old woman harrumphed yet gave him a price.

"Ten galleons, take it or leave it," she snapped. Sirius suddenly realized why she had no customers.

"I'll take it. Ten galleons, here you are," he said, handing over the coins. Greedily the woman counted them, thrusting them into a pouch at her waist. She looked up, clearly surprised to see Sirius still standing there. "Well? Do you want something more?"

But Sirius didn't hear her. He was far too amazed at the antics of the vase to hear what she was saying. The crudely formed humans had- in the single time he'd thrown the vase into the air- turned into likeness of himself and Lily. He watched as the Sirius figure wandered around the side of the vase, behind the Lily figure. The Sirius tapped the Lily on the shoulder, and she spun to face him. He offered her a hand, and she took it, gracefully stepping into his arms. It looked almost as if they were going to dance. With a start the real Sirius realized they were, and generously suggested a tune.

'The Nutcracker Waltz," he whispered, knowing it was Lily's favorite tune. It began to play, slowly, as though coming from very far away. The two figures began to dance.

Around and around the platform they went, the Lily figure's skirts swirling as she twirled in the traditional one-two-three step pattern. Sirius smiled, reaching out to touch her face.

"Astounding!" the old woman said. "This will fetch big bucks at the fair!" she reached forward to grab it, but Sirius was too quick.

"I bought it, and I'm taking it," he said, smoothly slipping the vase, which had stopped in ministrations, into his bag. "Good-bye," he said, loping away as fast as his long legs could carry him. Behind him he could hear the lady making offers on it, yet he paid her no heed.

Gasping, he returned into the Three Broomsticks, finding Lily contentedly sipping butterbeer, with a glass for him already set up. He slid into the both with a smile and picked up his tankard. They sat for awhile, listening to tidbits of other people's conversations until the hour grew rather late.

"Ready to go?" Sirius asked at last.

Lily stood, almost unwillingly. "I suppose," she replied, casting a lingering glance about the crowded tavern. Sirius helped her with the bags, and together they left. "Today was so much fun Sirius," she said when they were a little ways away from the town. "It was almost like old times."

Companionably Sirius took her hand. "I know what you mean." He stopped suddenly, pulling her with him. Gently cupping her cheek in his hand he whispered hoarsely, "I've missed you Lily." Lily fought to stop tears from flowing. She had thought that Sirius had gotten over this, it had been almost a month now.

"I know," she murmured in reply, turning her face away. "I've missed you too…but this is for the best…. It lets us have more time Sirius…and that's something I need…time." He sighed and dropped his hand, picking up the bags and resuming his walk up the path.

"I'm happy to give it to you," he replied, not looking at her. Sensing she had hurt him, she said nothing for the remainder of the trip back to the castle.

**************

The days flew by, and Christmas Eve hit Gryffindor Tower full force. Being the only four there, Remus, Lily, James and Sirius threw a small but lavish party in the common room, making as much noise as they possibly could, and staying up into the wee hours of the night; going to bed only when Professor McGonagall, their new Head of House came by at around two o' clock telling them firmly to get to bed.

Sirius lay in the comfortable, warm bed, up in the fourth year dorms of Gryffindor Tower. He liked it here. It was warm, and cozy, and comfortable, where the Slytherin dorms were cold, drafty, and the beds hard as rock. Sirius squirmed a bit, trying to find the most comfortable place in the mattress. There he stayed for another hour, watching his Muggle watch as it slowly ticked away the seconds. Suddenly sleepless he bounded out of bed and padded over the lush, red, carpet to the window seat.

Pad, he yawned. I like that verb. To pad- like a dog…he stretched a little and pressed his head against the window, feeling the familiar cold sweep through him. Pad, pad, pad, pad, pad. Sirius resisted the sudden urge to laugh. He couldn't help it. It's such a funny word! He snickered internally.

Through his fun he heard the Nutcracker Waltz strike up again and frowned, heading over to his bag and pulling the vase out. He set it on his nightstand and flopped down on the bed, watching as he and Lily swirled and whirled around the glass. How am I going to give this to her? He wondered. It's too much like a lover's gift…he frowned again and closed his eyes. He slept for two hours.

Abruptly he woke up. He had no idea what had woken him- perhaps it was the vase, perhaps another noise. It was sometime just before dawn. Looking out the window he could see the winter sun, rising out of the misty clouds, painting the sky pretty reds and oranges.

Suddenly he had an idea. He threw the vase onto the bed, and grabbed his quill. Fashioning a small note, he wrote the words: To Lily, my heart forever. Let us dance. At the end he put, instead of his own name, a small pawprint, and underneath that, in big, swirl-y letters that looked nothing like his own handwriting, the name: Padfoot. He grinned. He liked that name. It reminded him of a dog he'd seen once, big and furry, and all alone. He hummed an off-key medley of Christmas songs and slipped out of the dorms and across the stone hall.

Lily had pushed together two of the bed, making it into one huge, lair of sleep. She had the curtains all open, and as the sun rose higher, a tendril of light stole across her face. Sirius resisted the urge to run his fingers over her face. Instead, he set the vase and card next to her bed. Whispering the words: Nutcracker Waltz to the two poised figures, he stepped back. As the first strains of music played, he bolted.

************

In Lily's dreams two figures danced round and round. Glass resemblances of human beings evolved…turning into her and…someone else. With each turn the male figure switched, sometimes looking like James, sometimes Sirius. The girl tossed and turned in her sleep, not knowing who her partner was…she never would.