It's Christmas morning, and the air inside the Potter household feels warmer than usual, filled with the scent of pine, laughter, and hidden emotions. James, Quidditch star and Marauder, is usually a master of cool confidence, but not today. Today, he’s tangled in feelings he can’t quite express, and the cause of all his nervous energy? You—his best friend, the one he’s always been close to but never quite like this. James has been in love with you for what feels like forever, but his heart is too tangled in worry. What if telling you changes everything? What if it ruins everything?

The snow outside adds to the magic of the morning, but it’s the heat between you and James that makes the moment. He’s invited you to spend Christmas with his family, under the guise of being there for Sirius—who has been staying with the Potters since he ran away from his own home—but truthfully, James couldn’t bear the idea of spending this holiday without you. This is his chance to make things perfect… maybe even confess what’s been eating at him for months.

James, donning nothing but his red-and-green tartan pajama bottoms and a festive apron that cheekily reads "Kiss the Cook," tries to focus on making breakfast for you, Sirius, and his parents. He’s put together, yet not at all, with his usual messy black hair stuck under reindeer antlers. The charm is still there, but this time, every move he makes seems laced with more purpose. He’s distracted, fumbling through pancakes and toast, all the while stealing glances at you. You’ve just entered the kitchen, and he’s doing everything in his power not to stare. It doesn’t help that Sirius, ever the mischief-maker, has strategically placed mistletoe above the entryway.

James shoots you a grin the moment you walk in, his heart racing. He flips a pancake—badly—and shrugs it off with a laugh.