A/n: This is a very quick drabble written for the Candyland Pairing Challenge Game on Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges Forum. Pairing: Lily Evans/Penelope Clearwater. Time-travel fic. Let me know what you think!

EDit: Oh my gosh, I feel so bad for saying this after all those reviews, but this was just for a challenge in a forum game I'm playing. I shall be merging this with every other drabble I'm going to be writing for the challenge and it's all just really quick drabbles on ridiculous pairings with almost implausible situations just to see if I can manage to fit it into a plausible situation. I'll be renaming this as Candyland and every chapter is a challenge I got, so feel free to have fun reading that.

Disclaimer: As always, everything recognizable belongs to our Queen JKR and not me. I write for pleasure and not profit.

Lily Now, Lily Then?

Lily Evans is enjoying some alone time in the Prefects' Bath, when she's suddenly dragged underwater by a mysterious force and resurfaces only to find herself in the company of a rather strange blonde girl who she's never seen before. Written for the Candyland Pairing Challenge Game on Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges. Pairing: Lily Evans/Penelope Clearwater. A time-travel fic.

Lily Evans sat gazing at the mermaid on the frosted glass window of the Prefects' Bathroom, watching as she swiveled her shiny tail and caressed her lustrous locks. There was a small pop, and a large purple bubble floated from the frothing surface of the spacious bath, distorting the painting. She jumped as a pop sounded beside her, shooting a torrent of blue bubbles upwards. She watched as they floated toward the high ceiling, reflecting the rays of the setting sun that flowed in through the many windows.

She hummed softly, skimming her soap-lathered arm across the bubbles and settled back with a contented sigh.

There was a low rumble and she lurched forward suddenly, as though someone—or something–had pulled her by the ankle, gasping and spluttering as she tried to break free. She grabbed onto the back of the bath in her flailing and tried to push herself back up, but her fingers slipped against the smooth surface and she barely had a moment to gasp in a breath as she was pulled underwater.

She forced her eyes open as she felt her back bump against the bottom of the small pool and she parted her lips as her lungs screamed for air, her own air bubbles joining with the others.

After what seemed like an inordinately long time, the grip on her ankle loosened and she splashed her way to the surface, coughing and gagging as the soap and bubbles got in her mouth. She breathed deeply and let her racing heart settle as she finally opened her eyes to look at—

"Where in Merlin's name did you come from?!"

Lily blinked.

"What—when did you come in?! Who are you?!"

"I'm sorry," Lily croaked, moving away from the wide-eyed blonde in front of her, "who are you?"

"I—I asked first!" the girl spluttered, her fair skin turning a pretty shade of pink.

Lily squinted at her. "Lily," she snipped.

"P—Penelope," the blonde whimpered, seemingly wilting under the redhead's intense gaze, "Penelope Clearwater."

"Well, hello, Penelope," Lily said more pleasantly than she thought she would, seeing as how she had only just stopped herself from drowning and had then been rudely interrogated by a girl who seemed to be in the same year as her, but she had never seen before.

"H—Helllo," Penelope blustered, pulling her shoulders together and ducking her head in…embarrassment?

"Is something the matter?" Lily asked with raised eyebrows.

"Er, no, it's just—" Penelope glanced upwards and turned a deep red.

Lily frowned and looked down at herself.

Oh.

The bubbles and foam had parted in a wide circle around her when she had resurfaced, giving the other girl a clear view of Lily's ample bosom and slender body. She flushed slightly and pulled her hair over her shoulder, more embarrassed by the other's reaction than anything.

Penelope cleared her throat. "Er, are you alright? You seemed like you were drowning just then."

I'm pretty sure I was.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking. Anyway, Penny, what year are you in? I don't think we've met before."

"It's Penelope, actually…and I'm in my fifth year…"

Same as me?

Lily frowned as she shifted her gaze from the uncomfortable looking blonde to the mermaid-window above her. Somehow the painting seemed unnervingly delighted by the sudden happenings.

"Say, Penny—"

"It's Penelope,"

"—how long have you been in here?"

The girl ducked her head and her ears turned red.

Cute.

"A—About a half hour, I should think," she mumbled.

Lily's heart thudded in her chest. A half hour? That was how long she'd been in there! And the bathroom had definitely been empty when she had come in. What the hell was going on?!

"Did you say you're in your fifth year?" she clarified, standing up and trying not to smirk when Penelope's eyes went round at the sight of Lily's naked body.

"Y—Yes," she squeaked, backing up against the bath's wall.

"Interesting," she mused, slowly making her way to the other. "And what year did you say it was?"

"F—Fifth year."

"No, not what year you're in, what year is it?"

Penelope frowned and flushed as Lily squatted down beside her and ran her hand along the other girl's cheek, just to make sure she wasn't a figment of her imagination.

"It's '92!"

Lily's hand froze and she gaped at the blonde girl. "The year nineteen ninety-two?" she rasped, getting a hurried nod from Penelope.

How is that—

She drew in a slow breath. That at least solved the mystery of how the two of them were female Prefects in the same year and had never seen each other before.

"Which house are you in?" Penelope was asking her, her innocent blue eyes wide and curious. Lily smiled. This girl seemed sweet.

"Gryffindor."

"Oh! I'm in Ravenclaw! But I've never seen you before…"

Seems more a Hufflepuff, Lily thought, surprised that such a meek, clueless girl was in the house for the sharp-witted. Although, she herself was quite sharp-witted and had ended up in the house for loud and obnoxious people like James Potter and Sirius Black.

How do I go back before she starts getting curious…

"Ah! You seem hurt," Penelope was saying, caressing Lily's ankle where a red welt had bloomed.

She was about to reply when she felt a familiar tug on said ankle and pressed her lips to Penelope's cheek as the familiar rumble began.

"Goodbye, Penelope Clearwater," Lily smiled and watched with amusement as the blonde's eyes went round and she reached toward Lily, even as the latter was swept under the foam and bubbles.

When she came to, it was to the blurred colours of the mermaid painting opposite her. She touched her head, dazed and confused, as a short rap echoed through the large space.

"Is someone still in there? It's my turn in the bath," a female voice called from outside the door.

Lily called back a hasty reply and stood up, staring at the red welt around her ankle.

Did I fall asleep?

And as she looked back at the mermaid painting, something about the blonde locks and blue eyes seemed oddly familiar.