All right, so I really don't know how long this story is going to end up being. It's my first fic, so it probably isn't brilliant, but I appreciate the read :) Oh, and all the chapter titles will be song names.

Disclaimer: I do not own HP or any characters you recognize.

Where in the world did you come from baby
You waited just a little too long
To look my way
Now it's a little too late

- "Where Were You When I Was Falling in Love?" Lobo

Lily Evans did not typically think much of awkward or embarrassing situations. With all the turmoil going on outside the walls of school, I had learned that it was best to laugh at one's self and move on with life. I went through way too many ridiculous situations in life to get hung up over them. This, however, was just plain awkward.

After a stressful week, I really just needed the time to myself. I had picked up my bath things and headed out, telling Roxy I was going to the Prefects' bathroom for an outrageously long bath, and that I would be back in about an hour and thirty.

As I stepped out of the bath and wrapped my towel around my torso, my skin still tinged pink from the deliciously warm water, I mused that that had been exactly what I needed: relaxing, quiet, and peaceful.

Until they walked in.

I had completely forgotten that Potter, as the new Gryffindor Quidditch Captain, now had access to the Prefects' bathroom. Black probably tagged along since they were like Siamese twins, attached at the hip.

For a moment, I just stared blankly at them, like a fish out of water, while they gaped right back at me. It wasn't until Potter's eyes started to wander that I snapped back to her senses and let out a small yelp akin to a wounded dog.

"Potter, your eyes have better stop moving unless you want me to hex both of you into next week!" I hissed at them.

The tips of Potter's ears blushed before he quickly shut his eyes. Black, who couldn't resist, shot her a lewd wink before shutting his eyes as well.

"Looking good, Evans," he said with laughter in his voice. "No wonder Prongs has the hots for you."

"Oi!" Potter exclaimed, jabbing Black's side.

I hurried into one of the stalls, desperately holding my towel to myself to keep it from slipping. I sighed as I began to get dressed. My plans had including allowing myself to drip dry (I had this strange liking of wandering around in minimal clothing…weird, I know), but that dream had been cut short by Potter and Black's arrival. Operation Lily's Relaxing Bath: aborted. Slipping on my shoes, I grabbed my towel and toiletries and walked out of the stall.

"Why are you two in here anyway?" I asked them. "And you can open your eyes now."

The two teenage boys opened their eyes, Potter giving me a quick once over after doing so. Git. They were both dressed quite warmly: had they just come in from the grounds? It wouldn't surprise me if they had.

"Well you see, Evans," began Potter, running a hand through his hair (I swear, I hope someone gives this boy a proper haircut one day), "Sirius and I fancied a swim. And, as you probably know, the water is still a bit cold, so we figured we would come in here instead."

I snorted (attractive, I know), my suspicions confirmed. Only these idiots would be overcome with a desire to go swimming in late March in Scotland.

"Well, enjoy your swim then. Try not to blow up the place, yeah?" I said before turning on my heel and walking out of the bathroom. I was slightly annoyed that they had disrupted my attempt at a peaceful ninety minutes to myself, but not nearly as much as I would have been had it all occurred a year ago. It was embarrassing, yes, but not necessarily something worth losing my head over.

And that made me realize just how much my relationship with the so-called Marauders had changed during the course of our sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Thinking back on it, I guess it comes down to Sam. Oh, Samantha Parker. One of my best friends, a self-proclaimed rebel, and one of Hogwarts' most notorious serial daters. Coming into sixth year, Sam had dated more boys than Jenny, Roxy, and myself combined (and Sam did not discriminate…Muggle boys and magical ones were just as equally worthy of a good snog in her books). After Sam's particularly nasty break-up with a Muggle boyfriend over the summer, some idiot named Michael, the four of us had gotten together for a sleepover at my place (Petunia was away with some friends, thank goodness), where Sam had tearfully confessed that she was a bit tired of her serial dating. Roxy, who had been going steady with her boyfriend Edgar Bones since the middle of fifth year and was our resident hoeless romantic, advised her to take some time to evaluate what she wanted from a boy and a relationship before she even thought about going out with another guy.

Sam took Roxy's advice to heart, which was definitely unexpected: she and Roxy are always at ends when it comes to love. Sam skipped out on dating for the majority of our first term. Even after Jenny started dating Ethan and I started dating Adam, Sam had refrained from having yet another one-night stand. However, her romantic break also made her a target for the affections of Sirius Black, the one boy that Sam had always held a soft spot for and yet had never snogged or dated.

This newfound attraction between Sam and Sirius led to a change in the dynamics of the sixth-year Gryffindors. I, of course, had always been relatively civil to Remus, and in our time as Gryffindor prefects had come to consider him as a friend. He was sensible and funny, as well as exceedingly kindhearted. The other three, however, had always really been a bit too immature for my liking. Even Jenny, who played on the Quidditch team with James and had known him since they were toddlers, had never been terribly fond of the Marauders. Shame, really, because they all had so much potential.

It also did not help that over our years at Hogwarts, the boys had played a fair share of pranks on us: putting a Sticking Charm on Roxy's seat in the Great Hall, stealing all of Sam's knickers and throwing them into the lake, blowing up Jenny's cauldron, changing my hair from red to green so that it would "match her eyes". The list was extensive, although they seemed to slow it down once Potter decided that I was his newest fancy. And yet, here we were: the merging of Sam and Sirius' friends at meal times and in the common room was now a common occurrence.

Yes, things had definitely changed between us and the Marauders. While calling them all the best of friends would be a stretch, we did all enjoy each other's company and even had quite a few good laughs. It also helped that Potter had matured quite a bit and had even become a relatively tolerable person…wait, bad thoughts, Lily, bad thoughts.

"Lily!"

Jolted out of my musings, I looked up and smiled as good old Jenny Aberman approached me. Jenny grinned at me and hurried to catch up.

"Roxy said that you were going to take a bath. We didn't think you would be back for at least another twenty minutes or so," she said, slightly out of breath.

"Well, I was interrupted by Black and Potter, so that was kind of cut short," I replied.

"Please tell me you were covered," Jenny said, eyes wide.

"Luckily, yes, but it was still rather awkward."

"Bet James loved it, though."

"Jenny, please."

Jenny giggled. "Can't help it. Poor guy fancies you quite a bit."

"All of Hogwarts and I already know that."

"Yeah, except I don't think it's as one-sided anymore."

I came to a halt in front of the Fat Lady's portrait, startled. Even after years of being friends, it was still slightly surprising that Jenny knew her well enough to make statements like these without even knowing what was going on in my overly active mind.

"Moonstone," I said to the Fat Lady, who promptly swung open to allow the two girls into Gryffindor tower.

Turning to Jenny, I crossed her arms. "I have no idea what you mean."

Jenny hooked her arm with mine and began to drag me up to the dormitories, all the while grinning wickedly. The nice girl face is just a front, I swear. "Oh, I think you know exactly what I'm talking about. Sam hasn't noticed because she's too busy flirting with Black all the time, but both Roxy and I have come to the conclusion that you might be attracted to James Potter."

I raised an eyebrow at her as we reached our room. "Oh, really? And what makes the two of you say that?"

"What makes who say what?" inquired Roxy. She threw us a curious glance from her spot on her bed, where she was flipping through her Transfiguration book. Typical.

"I was just telling Lily about our theory about her and James," Jenny said with amusement in her voice. "She seems to be in denial though."

"I have a boyfriend, Jenny, and I happen to like Adam quite a bit," I snapped back.

"I think you misunderstand," said Roxy calmly, pushing her book away from her. She crossed her legs and looked at me with those piercing blue eyes of hers. "We're not saying that you love Potter, and in no way are we suggesting that you're being unfaithful to Adam. After all the crap Ryan put you through, we doubt you could ever be unfaithful to anyone." After a brief nod from me, she continued. "We do, however, think that since he isn't as much of an insufferable prat as he used to be, you actually might see him as more of an acquaintance slash friend…or even find him sexy," she finished, smirking.

I shifted uncomfortably under my friends' gaze. I desperately wanted to deny it, but I knew I couldn't. Jenny was incredibly perceptive and had probably noticed how my behavior towards James had changed in recent months. And unfortunately, I had once drunkenly confessed to Roxy that James would be more attractive if he didn't act like such an idiot. Sometimes, I really hate how loose my tongue gets after a few drinks. It really sucks to be a lightweight.

"I think he's clever, friendly, and reasonably good-looking," I replied, choosing her words carefully. "But that's about as deep as it goes."

Roxy nodded. "Yeah, I get you. Still, if you and Adam don't work out and Potter continues on this path to maturity, you two would make cute babies."

We all burst out laughing. "I'll keep that in mind," I replied, still giggling.