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Originally, Lily had been unsure about staying at Hogwarts for the holidays.
Despite the rocky relationship she shared with her sister back home, she had never spent a single holiday away from her family.
And yet come December 24th Lily has a view of the entire south side of Hogwarts from her spot in the common room. A small window seat tucked away from the rest of the room. The window itself is cold to the touch where she has her cheek pressed against it, a small portion of the glass fogging up with every breath she takes.
She’s been sat here for the past hour or so. There is a book open in her lap, long forgotten as her attention was easily captured by something far better.
Pandora Lovegood.
Roughly an hour ago Lily noticed the figure tracking out through the snow, leaving a trail of footsteps dotted behind her. It was easy to figure out who it was. Even if the sweeping light hair and signature oversized fluffy hand warmers weren’t a dead giveaway, Lily Evans could recognise Pandora Lovegood anywhere. At any time, from any distance or any place. It’s been like that for a while but Lily hadn’t realised just what it was she was feeling until summer two years ago, when Pandora dropped down to the grass besides her, an abundance of blonde hair falling across Lily’s lap. Without thinking about it she had gently run her fingers through it, eliciting a pleased hum and blissful smile from Pandora who practically went limp against her.
Ever since then it’s been lingering glances and fleeting touches that Lily will never dare admit how much they truly mean to her.
Almost everyone else returned for the holidays.
Effectively, out of everyone in their friend group, it is just Lily and Pandora here. There’s an assortment of other students from their year group and from different years altogether, but as far as close friends go it is just the two of them.
When Lily realises she has zoned out she blinks in surprise, focusing on the blanket of white outside the window and frowning when the figure down there has disappeared, leaving behind only a second trail of footprints.
Closing her book, Lily swings her legs off the ledge she’s curled up on and jumps down, making her way over to the Gryffindor common room door. And, sure enough, not even a second after she makes it there does a knock reverberate through the thick wood. It’s open within a second and Pandora comes tumbling in.
“You won’t believe what I saw out there.”
Her cheeks are flushed from the cold, a rosy red that Lily matches up to the cherry earrings Pandora wore two weeks ago. Her nose is a similar shade and Lily rather inexplicably feels the need to swoop in and kiss it. She won’t, of course, because that is not something they do.
Lily Evans and Pandora Lovegood do not kiss one another. Not even on the nose.
“..was adorable. I managed to get a photo so-“
There’s a light smattering of snowflakes across her hair that catch in the dim lighting from the nearby fireplace to make it like as though she has a halo around her head. Lily thinks that would make sense. Pandora is an angel in every sense of the word.
“..and then I was thinking that I could draw that! I don’t-“
As she rambles excitedly her eyes widen every now and then on certain phrases, a childlike look of joy about her that has Lily melting. She seems so utterly ecstatic to be sharing with Lily that- Oh. Lily blinks, jolting a little as she shortly realises she has no idea exactly what it is that Pandora is excited to be sharing with her.
“-do you think? Lily?”
Zoning back in, Lily flicks her gaze to make eye contact with Pandora, a light flush coating her cheeks as she realises she has just missed the entirety of her friends sentence because she was staring at the snow in her hair.
“Uh- Well, I think that- It’s- Lovely?” She says carefully, suppressing a cringe at her ill fated attempt to cover up her lack of attention.
Pandora catches on immediately, of course. She has a tendency to do that when it comes to Lily, something that never fails to make Lily’s head spin.
“I was asking what you thought about the photo of these ladybirds I saw in the snow. I was thinking I could draw them, maybe gift it to Peter when he gets back here? They’re his favourite.”
Pandora doesn’t look at all upset that Lily didn’t hear a word she said, and simply has this serene smile on her face as she rocks back and forth on the balls of her feet, never once looking away from Lily.
“Oh!” It makes sense that Pandora was talking about bugs and drawing. If Lily had had to guess it would have been one of those. “I think that sounds like a lovely idea Pan. He’d adore that. I was wondering what you were doing out in the snow.”
Pandora heaves a loud sigh as she makes her way over to the sofas in front of the fireplace, unwrapping her scarf from around her neck then pulling off her gloves by the tips of the fingers. She discards them down to the floor without a second glance, unbuttoning her jacket next and just managing to shrug out of it before flopping down onto the nearest sofa. “There’s been way more snow than Hogwarts usually gets. I was curious to see what it would look like for the bugs out there. Ladybirds don’t do well in winter you know, but someone put up a warming charm for them. Did you know that?”
Lily did in fact know this due to the fact that she was the one to put the warming charm up.
“Really? That’s nice,” she comments casually, moving over to join Pandora on the sofa. Before she gets there however she moves over to grab two mugs off the side, flicking her wand in the general direction of the kettle as she flits around the room in search of hot chocolate powder. Pandora is currently on her back, one leg and one arm dangling off the side of the sofa accompanied by a cascade of soft blonde hair that shimmers in the lighting.
“Isn’t it? I hope I find out who it was. I’d like to thank them. Maybe I could draw something for them.”
A small smile flickers across Lily’s face as she spoons out the powder into each mugs. “I’m sure whoever it is would find that lovely Pandora.”
Pandora simply hums in response, and once Lily has poured the hot water into the mugs and turns around Pandora is now laying on her front, a different arm and leg hanging off the side as she watches Lily with a rather intent gaze. It makes Lily drop her own gaze down, dutifully handing over Pandora’s beverage before she takes a seat on the rug in front of the sofa Pandora is sprawled across. Pandora frowns a little but within moments her expression has changed.
Sitting up, she takes a sip of the drink while twisting a strand of hair around her finger.
“It’s Christmas eve.”
“It is.”
Pandora takes another sip before placing her drink down on the floor and reaching forward to run her fingers through Lily’s hair, something that has the red head relaxing instantly.
“I can’t wait for Christmas,” Pandora whispers, trailing her fingers softly down the side of Lily’s face.
Exhaling shakily, Lily tries her very hardest not to melt into the touch. “Yeah,” she breathes. “Me too.”
- - - - -
Like every night since the holidays begun, Pandora sleeps in one of the beds in Lily’s dorm. She looks beautiful in the early hours of the morning, when the soft sunlight makes her look utterly seraphic.
This morning, she wakes Lily up by crawling into the bed and pressing her frozen cold feet against Lily’s thighs.
“Jesus, Pandora!” She hisses, squirming away from the other who immediately dissolves into laughter.
“Merry Christmas Lily.”
“Oh.” Lily pauses, blinking in surprise as the deep sleep she had just been in slowly slips away from her. “Merry Christmas Pandora.”
“Would you like to open your present now?”
Lily nods, pushing herself to sit upright, legs crossed. Pandora mimics her from directly opposite and her knees brush against Lily’s as she does. It feels soothing and shocking all at once.
Lily finds herself with a small parcel in her lap, neatly wrapped and tied with a white lace ribbon. She holds it so very carefully, delicate and featherlight with her touch, as if it holds the secret to the universe.
It is a gift from Pandora, so to her, it does.
Without exchanging another word she gently unwraps it, discarding the paper and letting it float off the side of the bed, ending up forgotten on the floor as Lily’s eyes widen.
Inside is a framed drawing Pandora has done for her. It is Lily in the grass down by the lake. She has a flower crown on and a beaming smile so bright it could rival the sun. Lily can remember this day with ease. She remembers every day with Pandora with ease.
“You drew this day?” She asks quietly.
Pandora is smiling in a curious way, as though she is holding back something. Lily wants so desperately to know what it is. She always wants to know what Pandora is thinking.
“It’s beautiful. Thank you. Thank you so much.”
They sit like that for a moment in complete silence, the both of them inches apart, gazing at one another and holding back.
Always holding back.
And then Lily blinks, inhaling sharply, and the moment is over.
“Would you like your present now?” She asks, and Pandora eagerly nods.
Taking the small parcel out from its hiding spot under the bed, Lily passes it over with trembling hands, terrified of what Pandora may think.
Just like Lily, Pandora is beyond gentle as she unwraps it, and Lily watches her react to it with bated breath.
Inside is a small necklace with a Ladybird charm on the end.
Pandora takes the time to delicately place it down on the side before flinging herself at Lily. She wraps her arms tight around the red heads waist, burying her face in Lily’s neck and clinging to her.
“Thank you,” she whispers, muffled into the crook of Lily’s neck, and Lily takes a shuddering breath at the feel of Pandora’s lips brushing against her skin.
And then just like that Pandora is bounding out the bed and racing to go put her new necklace on.
Pandora admires it in the mirror and Lily admires her from afar.
Always afar.
- - - - -
They head out into the snow after a lazy Christmas morning together.
Almost straight away Pandora’s nose and cheeks flush, and Lily has to look away to keep herself from kissing them.
Luckily, distraction comes in the form of Pandora throwing a snowball directly at her face.
Lily splutters in surprise, swiping the leftover snow away from her face before staring in stunned silence at Pandora who has the nerve to giggle.
“Oh you better run,” she finally announces, before ducking down and making her own snowball. Pandora lets out a squeal of delight before she is up on her feet and sprinting off. Lily manages to hit the back of her head, causing Pandora to let out an offended cry and immediately seek revenge.
And so they go back and forth, the both of them collecting snow into their hands only to watch it scatter apart moments later when it comes into contact with the other.
Lily is just starting to lose feeling in her hands when Pandora manages to knock her down with a snowball to her back, right between her shoulder blades. The momentum of the throw causes Pandora to slip right on down too and Lily finds herself with one Pandora Lovegood tangled up in the snow with her.
“Oh. Hello.” Pandora blinks in surprise, eyes wide as she stares across at Lily. There is snow dusting her eyelashes, caught on her eyebrows, covering her hair. Her nose and cheeks are bright red and her lips are parted as she attempts to catch her breath. Her hair is tangled and in a chaotic mess around her head and the makeup she so diligently applied this morning has almost all worn off. Her scarf is tangled up in the buttons of her jacket and her tights have a small hole in them over her knee.
Pandora looks a mess.
Lily thinks she is the most beautiful girl she has ever seen.
It isn’t a sudden thing. Nor is it in a rush. She doesn’t suddenly grab her and swoop in. It is gentle and it is slow and it is a long time coming.
Without saying a word, Lily slides her frozen hand along Pandoras cheek, leans in slowly and lets their lips brush together. And just like that Pandora falls forward into her, pressing their lips into a firmer kiss and sliding her hands through Lily’s hair. It makes Lily shiver and it makes her slide her tongue into Pandora’s mouth, wanting more, needing more.
And she can have it.
Its hers now.
She’s allowed this now.
They lay there, tangled up and cradling one another in a gentle kiss full of far too much meaning for an undetermined amount of time. Eventually, Lily notices that Pandora is shivering, and with this comes the realisation that she is too.
“We should go inside,” she breathes against Pandoras kiss-bruised lips, which are now a bright red for reasons other than the cold.
“Can I still kiss you inside?” Pandora replies quietly on a shaky exhale of breath.
“Yes.”
Pandora nods. “Okay then,” she whispers.
So they climb to their feet, dusting one another off from the snow. Pandora slips her hand into the pocket of Lily’s jacket and then they walk back together.
When they get inside they find a sprig of mistletoe hanging over the doorway to the common room.
Pandora kisses Lily underneath it.
Inside.
And just as she promised, Lily lets her.