Only Fools Rush In
Of Makeovers and Muffins.

Lily stood in front of a mirror, holding one pink slipper and frowned at her reflection. She was short, she knew, not like the rest of the girls in her dorm who had long legs that seemed to go on forever. She cocked her head to one side, she wasn't fair like some of the other girls. Being out in the sun constantly with the guys playing quidditch meant that she was actually rather tan, and that caused the smattering of freckles over her nose and cheeks to stand out. Her hair was messy most of the time, but who could blame her really? Between keeping the guys out of too much trouble and joining them on their usual escapades around the castle, she hadn't found much time to fuss over it. And she was sure she wouldn't be over to muster the effort either. Sighing as she looked around, she noticed the envious stares the shop assistants were giving her. No doubt due to the fact that she was presently surrounded by two very good looking boys who were determined to make her the prettiest girl alive.

"Sirius?"

"Yea?"

"Will you tell me what's the point in all these?"

"Well Lily," Sirius turned away from the shop assistant who was holding out two very revealing dresses and started to look thoughtful, "The point is, you see… Moony, tell her my point."

Remus turned his attention away from the piles and piles of shoes on the floor and turned to Lily, "Lils, I think what Sirius is trying to tell you is, we got to show Cassy what you're made of! If not for James' sake, for yours!"

"Exactly my point buddy! What will I do without you?"

"I'll rather not answer that." Remus replied bluntly.

Lily sighed, "But I'm perfectly alright with her thinking I'm some tomboy, I mean, it's true!"

At this, one of the shop assistants snorted and hurriedly coughed to try and cover it up.

"For James' sake then," Remus stuffed a few dresses into Lily's arms and pushed her in the direction of the changing room, "In you go!"

Sirius took the chance to survey the shop, frankly he hadn't noticed this shop before today and he came to Hogsmeade quite a lot. Noticing that the few people milling around were all females, he grinned. He was definitely returning even if Lily wasn't going to. He turned to Remus, meaning to ask where Peter had disappeared to but saw that his friend was quite busy trying to reject the advances of a rather persistent shop assistant.

"Where did those scars come from?" the brunette said, fingering those scars on his arm.

Poor Remus looked quite frightened as his eyes widened, "Er, you know, fights and stuff," He tried to back away but his answer only seemed to turn on the brunette as she clung onto his arm, "Fights? That's a major turn on for some girls you know. Being tough and all that."

Sirius sniggered, Remus always seemed to attract female attention with his dark brooding ways. He turned to look for Peter, really how long does it take to find…, when he caught the eye of one of the female customers. She gave him a small smile as her eyes lingered on what Sirius thought was his impressive biceps. Feeling emboldened, he winked and sauntered over to her. It wasn't surprising when no one noticed Peter emerging from the piles of shoes on the ground holding the other side of the pink slippers.

A few hours, a haircut and a thorough exploration of all the shops in Hogsmeade later, the Marauders were done. Lily still couldn't stop complaining though.

"What do I need all these clothes for? I mean, half the time we're wearing our school robes over them!" Lily, laden with bags, sat down on the nearest bench and blew on her fringe in exasperation.

"Lily my dear," Sirius said, walking towards her, conveniently throwing his shopping bags at Peter, "There are people who look good in the right clothes, and then there are those people who still manage to look gorgeous in those dowdy school robes," saying so, he threw back his head and casually flipped his hair.

Lily stared on blankly and looking genuinely interested, asked, "Who?"

Sirius narrowed his eyes and decided it was best to ignore her.

Remus grinned, "I think what Sirius really wanted to say was that we want you to be one of those who look stunning, no matter what you're dressed in." He sat down next to Lily, "Lils, I hope you're not too bothered by this, you're great the way you are and frankly, I think your personality shines through, regardless of what you're wearing. We just think that once in a while, you deserve to stand out too."

Lily smiled, "Remus, you've got to be the sweetest guy in school. If you show more people that, you'll have the other half of the female population eating out of your hand!"

"Oi!" came Sirius' protests, "I'll have you know that the other half of the female population enjoys eating out of my hand and it will stay that way, thank you very much!"

Remus chuckled and continued, "But everyone of us loves you the way you are, remember that Lily." He gave her this significant look and Lily thought he was going to tell her something else but he turned away to relieve Peter of some of his load. In an effort to bring back his machoism, he punched Sirius in the arm indicating it was time to leave.

"Oww! Moony, did what the pretty shop assistant say get to you? Stop using violence incessantly!"

Peter laughed, "Sirius! That must be one of the longest word I've heard you use!"

Remus joined in, "Yea, do you even know what it means?"

Sirius huffed, he was going to ignore his friends for the rest of the day.

Lily gathered her bags and looked at Sirius, "Ignore them Sirius, just tell me, who looks gorgeous in dowdy school robes?"

Sirius folded his arms and ignored Lily.

Peter chimed in, "Hey yea Sirius, I want to know too!"

Lily grinned, "Oh, is it Remus?" Saying so, she started nudging him.

Remus chuckled a little self consciously, "Well, I have been working out recently," and he ran his fingers through his hair.

Sirius grunted and muttered something incoherent.

Peter craned his neck, "What was that Padfoot?"

"I said, just forget it." Sirius stomped in the direction of Hogwarts.

"No really, tell me!" Lily ran after him shouting, leaving Remus and Peter kneeled over in stitches.

xxx

"Where's Lily?" James asked the guys sitting by the fireplace.

Remus shrugged, "Still upstairs I guess. I wish girls were more like Sirius at breakfast time."

"Yea, then they'll never be late." Peter replied, looking over at Sirius who was gobbling down a muffin.

James plopped down on the sofa, "Where did you get that buddy?"

"I'm not telling you!" Sirius exclaimed, as his hands closed protectively around his pockets.

James raised an eyebrow, "Alright alright, chill Padfoot, no one's taking away your muffins."

"They better not be!" Sirius sputtered, showering poor Peter with muffin crumbs in the process.

"Man! Would someone just call Lily down?" Peter exclaimed, while shaking muffin crumbs out of his hair.

"Coming! Sorry, the girls wouldn't let me down, kept quizzing me about what I've done with myself," Lily said apologetically as she walked down the girls' staircase, "Really, they made it sound like I was some slob before and…" Lily looked around at the boys who seemed rooted to the spot, "What?"

Sirius stood up and sauntered over to Lily, "Why, hello Lily," and he pulled out a muffin, "Care for a muffin?"

"Hey! I wanted that!" came James' indignant voice.

"Oh, muffin! Thanks Sirius!" Lily chirped, and started biting into the muffin.

The rest of the Marauders gathered round her and surveyed her from top to bottom. This Lily had let down her hair and it tumbled gracefully onto her shoulders, the fringe that was normally all over her face had been pulled back neatly and she seemed to be wearing a tinge of make up.

"Hey, its pretty good!" Lily said, oblivious to the stares and turned her attention to Sirius, "Where did you get it?"

"Sure sounds like Lily," Remus said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Of course! Why wouldn't I sound like me?" Lily reached out her hand towards Sirius, "Can I have another one?"

Peter laughed, "Hey look! She even has Lily's appetite!"

James stepped closer to Lily, which caused her to straighten up, he leaned closer and closer until Lily had to summon all her will not to flutter her eyes close and wait a minute, where did that thought come from? James finally whispered, "It's Lily, they got the same eyes."

She blinked and stepped away hastily, "Of course its me silly, you guys were the one who suggested this, remember? Let's go, I'm starving!" Lily proceeded to climb out the portrait hole.

James frowned, "You guys gave Lily a makeover? What for?"

"So Cassy would believe your story, duh!" Sirius rolled his eyes and started munching on yet another muffin.

"But, that's not right! Lily shouldn't be made to change!" James protested.

"Well, we can't quite undo it now," Peter said as he followed Lily out of the common room.

"Remus?" James looked over at the person he felt could back him up.

Remus smiled, "Don't worry, she's cool with it." Remus left with Sirius, fascinated at how that boy would stuff so many muffins down his pockets, "Was it an enlargement charm Padfoot?"

James groaned. He couldn't believe his friends. Cassy would never believe it either.

xxx

"I don't believe it! She believed it!" James was exasperated, "Do I look so shallow, to go out only with hot chicks?"

The second James and Lily had walked in together for breakfast, there was a buzz of murmuring in the Great Hall. Cassy had walked up to them and said, "Well, I hope you guys are happy," and after that, threw Lily a dirty look before walking back to the Ravenclaw table.

Remus nodded, "Yes James, people do think you are that shallow."

Lily laughed, "And I thought all this while you didn't care what people thought, turns out you didn't even know!"

James pouted, "I don't think I'm shallow, do you Wormtail?"

Peter looked up from his potions homework, "Oh no James, you just happen to go out with the prettiest girls in school, regardless of their intellect level."

James looked over at his best friend for comfort, "Sirius?"

Lily rolled her eyes, "Oh please, Sirius has got it worse than you."

At the moment, Sirius was looking really confused and kept mumbling something over and over again.

Remus leaned forward, "Potions giving you problems Padfoot?"

Sirius gave no response.

Remus shrugged, "Better not to disturb him, I haven't seen him so engrossed in homework, ever!"

Peter was scribbling so hard on his homework that the tip of his quill broke, he sighed and looked up, "So Prongs, what are you planning to do now?"

James signed, "I don't know, continue making her jealous until something happens I guess."

"Well, that wouldn't take too long with the progress we're making. I swear, I've never seen her threw such a dirty look before." Lily answered while shifting through her bag.

"I GOT IT!"

All eyes turned to Sirius.

"James can't believe that Cassy believed both of you were going out." Sirius exclaimed, "I can't believe it, she believed it. That was pretty smart Prongs!"

There was a moment of silence. Then all heads turned towards James again.

"I can't believe we're his friends." James said, rubbing his temples.

"I can't believe I thought he was doing homework." Remus added.

"I just plain can't believe it." Peter sighed, pulling out another quill from his bag.

Lily grinned, "Well, I'm off to bed," She took out her transfiguration textbook and tossed it to James, "Page 121, it's my homework." She winked at him and climbed up towards the girls' dorm.

James groaned and shouted after her, "I really shouldn't have promised you that!" but as she disappeared up the staircase, a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

xxx

I've started revising this story. I really hope its better now. Thanks for all who read and reviewed, much appreciated!